BrainMass Quizzes Intro to the Physics Waves Some short-answer questions involving the basic vocabulary of string, sound, and water waves. 1 When a pendulum or a mass on a spring is not in motion, but allowed to hang freely, the position it assumes is called its ______________ . fulcrum rest point still rest position zero point 2 The units of frequency are named after the German scientist Heinrich Hurtz, who was the discoverer of ________________ waves. mechanical electrical radio transverse longitudinal 3 A large pendulum which proves the rotation of the earth was first built in Paris by _________________ . Maxwell Gauss LaGrange Tesla Foucault 4 The Tacoma Bridge collapsed because of this type of resonance: __________________ . technical mechanical electrical soliton filtered 5 When the particles of a medium vibrate at right angles to the direction of motion, the wave is called a _________________ wave. technical mechanical electrical transverse longitudinal 6 When the particles of a medium vibrate parallel to the direction of motion, the wave is called a _________________ wave. technical mechanical electrical transverse longitudinal 7 When a wave moves from one medium to another, its frequency remains the same but its ______________ changes. direction size length orientation speed 8 When a wave pulse is reflected from a fixed end, the reflected wave pulse is ________________ . refracted diffused diffracted inverted reflected 9 A point in the medium of a standing wave that vibrates the most is called an ___________________ . node antinode overtone harmonic octave 10 All natural frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency are called________________. nodes antinodes overtones harmonics octaves Submit Quiz