MCAT Physics Practice Questions

1. A wave completes one vibration as it moves a distance of 2 meters at a speed of 20 meters per second. What is the frequency of the wave?

A. 10 Hz
B. 2 Hz
C. 20 Hz
D. 40 Hz

2. What is the period of a wave, if 20 crests pass an observer in 4 seconds?

A. 80 s
B. .2 s
C. 5 s
D. 4 s

3. Two waves traveling in the same medium interfere to produce a standing wave. What is the phase difference between the 2 waves at a node?

A. 0 degrees
B. 90 degrees
C. 180 degrees
D. 360 degrees

4. A wire carries a current of 2.0 amperes. How many electrons pass a given point in this wire in 1.0 second?

A. 1.3 x 10¹⁸
B. 2.0 x 10¹⁸
C. 1.3 x 10¹⁹
D. 2.0 x 10¹⁹

5. As a pulse travels along a rope, the pulse loses energy and its amplitude

A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Remains the same

6. Compared to the wavelengths of visible light the wavelengths of UV light are

A. Shorter
B. Longer
C. The Same

7. What is the energy of a quantum of light having a frequency of 6.0 x 1014 hertz?

A. 1.6 x 10^-19 J
B. 4.0 x 10^-19 J
C. 1.3 x 10⁸ J
D. 5.0 x 10^-7 J

8. Experiments performed with light indicate that light exhibits

A. Particle properties, only
B. Wave properties, only
C. Both particle and wave properties
D. Neither particle or wave properties

9. What is the speed of light in a medium having an absolute index of refraction of 2.3?

A. .77 x 10⁸ m/s
B. 1.3 x 10⁸ m/s
C. 1.5 x 10⁸ m/s
D. 2.3 x 10⁸ m/s

10. Photons with an energy of 7.9 electonvolts strike a zinc plate, causing the emission of photoelectrons with a maximum kinetic energy of 4.0 electronvolts. The work function of the zinc plate is

A. 11.9 eV
B. 7.9 eV
C. 3.9 eV
D. 1.0 eV

Answer Key

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. -
5. -
6. A
7. B
8. C
9. B
10. C

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