Physics SSC-II

Conceptual Multiple-Choice Questions

(MCQs)
Chapter No. 01 (Simple Harmonic Motion)
1. Which of the following motions is an example of SHM?\
(a) Simple pendulum
(b) Ceiling fan
(c) Rolling ball
(d) Spinning top
2. What condition is necessary for SHM?
(a) Constant velocity
(b) Force proportional to displacement
(c) Random acceleration
(d) Uniform motion
3. In SHM, the restoring force always acts:
(a) Away from the mean position
(b) Toward the mean position
(c) Perpendicular to displacement
(d) Opposite to acceleration
4. The time period of a simple pendulum depends on:
(a) Length and amplitude
(b) Length and acceleration due to gravity
(c) Mass and amplitude
(d) Amplitude only
5. A mass attached to a spring shows SHM. When is the potential energy maximum?
(a) At mean position
(b) At extreme positions
(c) Always constant
(d) Depends on mass
6. What does the negative sign in Hooke's law represent?
(a) Repulsive force
(b) Restoring force direction
(c) Compression of spring
(d) Negative displacement
7. A spider detects prey using:
(a) Sound waves
(b) Light reflection
(c) Vibrations in its web
(d) Chemical signals
8. If the length of a pendulum is halved, its time period:
(a) Increases
(b) Decreases
(c) Doubles
(d) Remains the same
9. What is the unit of spring constant (k)?

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(a) N/m
(b) N/kg
(c) m/s²
(d) J/m
10. The motion of a ball in a bowl is an example of:
(a) Linear motion
(b) Rotational motion
(c) SHM
(d) Circular motion
11. In SHM, the acceleration of a body is always:
(a) Toward the mean position
(b) Away from the mean position
(c) Zero
(d) Constant
12. The velocity of a body in SHM is maximum at:
(a) The extreme position
(b) The mean position
(c) Always zero
(d) Depends on amplitude
13. A mass-spring system exhibits SHM due to:
(a) Gravitational force
(b) Frictional force
(c) Restoring force
(d) Tension force
14. The total energy in SHM:
(a) Remains constant
(b) Increases with time
(c) Decreases with time
(d) Oscillates with time
16. Damping in SHM results in:
(a) Increased amplitude
(b) Decreased amplitude
(c) Constant amplitude
(d) No effect on motion
17. A practical application of damped motion is:
(a) Pendulum clock
(b) Shock absorbers
(c) Vibrating string
(d) Spring balance
18. In damped oscillations, the mechanical energy:
(a) Increases with time
(b) Converts to heat
(c) Remains constant
(d) Becomes zero instantly
19. The amplitude of a damped oscillator:
(a) Increases linearly
(b) Decreases exponentially
(c) Remains constant
(d) Varies sinusoidally
20. Which graph represents damped motion correctly?

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(a) Linear decrease
(b) Exponentially decaying oscillations
(c) Constant oscillation
d) Random motion
21. A wave carries:
(a) Energy
(b) Matter
(c) Both energy and matter
(d) Only mass
22. Water waves in a ripple tank are:
(a) Mechanical
(b) Electromagnetic
(c) Longitudinal
(d) Nuclear
23. In a transverse wave, particles vibrate:
(a) Parallel to wave direction
(b) Perpendicular to wave direction
(c) At an angle to wave direction
(d) Randomly
24. The time period of a wave is:
(a) Reciprocal of frequency
(b) Product of speed and wavelength
(c) Independent of wavelength
(d) Proportional to amplitude
26. Reflection of a wave occurs when:
(a) It changes speed
(b) It bounces back
(c) It enters a new medium
(d) Its frequency changes
27. In refraction, which property remains constant?
(a) Speed
(b) Frequency
(c) Wavelength
(d) Direction
28. Diffraction occurs when waves:
(a) Change speed in a new medium
(b) Spread around obstacles
(c) Reflect back
(d) Stop traveling
29. Ripple tank experiments are used to study:
(a) SHM properties
(b) Wave properties
(c) Electromagnetic waves
(d) Energy transformations
30. The bending of waves around corners is called:
(a) Reflection
(b) Refraction
(c) Diffraction
(d) Interference
31. Longitudinal waves have particles vibrating:

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(a) Perpendicular to wave direction
(b) Parallel to wave direction
(c) At right angles to wavefront
(d) Randomly in the medium
32. Which of these is a transverse wave?
(a) Sound waves
(b) Water surface waves
(c) Seismic waves
(d) Shock waves

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 Chapter No. 02 (Sound waves)
1. Sound is produced by
(a) Vibrating objects
(b) Static objects
(c) Electromagnetic waves
(d) Photons
2. Which device is commonly used to produce a specific sound frequency
(a) Electric bell
(b) Guitar
(c) Tuning fork
(d) Microphone
3. What happens to the sound of a bell in a vacuum
(a) It becomes louder
(b) It cannot be heard
(c) Its pitch changes
(d) It propagates faster
4. The type of wave exhibited by sound is
(a) Transverse
(b) Longitudinal
(c) Electromagnetic
(d) Standing wave
5. In a sound wave, a compression is characterized by
(a) Low density of particles
(b) High density of particles
(c) Vacuum
(d) A decrease in pressure
6. What is the unit of intensity of sound
(a) Hertz
(b) Decibel
(c) Watt
(d) Meter
7. The relationship between loudness and amplitude is
(a) Loudness is inversely proportional to amplitude
(b) Loudness depends on amplitude
(c) Loudness is independent of amplitude
(d) Loudness decreases with increased amplitude
8. The pitch of sound is determined by its
(a) Frequency
(b) Amplitude
(c) Wavelength
(d) Speed
9. A sound wave with a high frequency has
(a) High pitch
(b) Low pitch

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(c) Low intensity
(d) Low amplitude
10. Which property of sound is affected by the medium of propagation
(a) Wavelength
(b) Frequency
(c) Intensity
(d) Speed
11. The minimum distance required to hear a distinct echo is
(a) 10 m
(b) 17 m
(c) 25 m
(d) 50 m
12. What happens to the speed of sound as the temperature increases
(a) Decreases
(b) Increases
(c) Remains constant
(d) Varies randomly
13. Sound waves travel fastest in
(a) Air
(b) Water
(c) Steel
(d) Vacuum
14. The phenomenon of sound bouncing off a surface is called
(a) Refraction
(b) Reflection
(c) Diffraction
(d) Absorption
15. Which of the following can reflect sound waves
(a) Curtains
(b) Soft surfaces
(c) Smooth walls
(d) Open spaces
16. The audible range of sound for humans is
(a) 1 Hz to 10 Hz
(b) 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
(c) 10 Hz to 100 Hz
(d) 50 Hz to 10,000 Hz
17. Ultrasound refers to sounds with frequencies
(a) Below 20 Hz
(b) Above 20,000 Hz
(c) Between 10 Hz and 100 Hz
(d) Above 50,000 Hz
18. Which application uses ultrasound technology
(a) SONAR
(b) Fiber optics

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(c) Electric circuits
(d) Magnetic resonance imaging
19. The loudness of sound is measured in
(a) Decibels
(b) Newtons
(c) Pascals
(d) Joules
20. Resonance occurs when
(a) Two waves interfere destructively
(b) A system vibrates at its natural frequency
(c) A wave is absorbed completely
(d) A system stops oscillating
21. The use of soft materials in classrooms is primarily to
(a) Absorb heat
(b) Reduce noise and echo
(c) Increase sound intensity
(d) Enhance pitch
22. Sound waves in a stethoscope are transmitted via
(a) Vacuum
(b) Air-filled tubes
(c) Metal plates
(d) Plastic fibers
23. The sound intensity level of a whisper is closest to
(a) 10 dB
(b) 40 dB
(c) 70 dB
(d) 100 dB
24. Noise pollution can cause
(a) Reduced vision
(b) High stress levels
(c) Enhanced immunity
(d) Increased oxygen levels
25. The speed of sound in air at room temperature is approximately
(a) 300 m/s
(b) 343 m/s
(c) 400 m/s
(d) 500 m/s
26. The reflection of sound is used in
(a) SONAR technology
(b) Fiber optics
(c) Electric generators
(d) Magnetic imaging
27. The wavelength of a sound wave decreases when
(a) Frequency increases
(b) Amplitude increases

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(c) Speed increases
(d) Intensity decreases
28. The use of ultrasound in medical diagnostics involves
(a) Generating heat
(b) Forming images using reflected sound waves
(c) Enhancing sound intensity
(d) Generating magnetic fields
29. A tuning fork produces sound due to
(a) Rotational motion
(b) Vibrational motion
(c) Translational motion
(d) Circular motion
30. The property of sound that allows distinguishing between two musical instruments is
(a) Loudness
(b) Pitch
(c) Quality
(d) Frequency
31. Which wave property determines its energy
(a) Amplitude
(b) Wavelength
(c) Frequency
(d) Speed
32. The phenomenon of sound traveling through walls is an example of
(a) Reflection
(b) Refraction
(c) Diffraction
(d) Resonance
33. The device used to measure sound intensity is
(a) Microphone
(b) Oscilloscope
(c) Sound level meter
(d) Stethoscope
34. The bending of sound waves around obstacles is called
(a) Reflection
(b) Diffraction
(c) Refraction
(d) Absorption
35. The characteristic of sound that allows distinguishing between a flute and a guitar is
(a) Pitch
(b) Loudness
(c) Quality
(d) Amplitude
36. In an auditorium, sound is managed using
(a) Smooth walls
(b) Curved ceilings

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(c) Metal panels
(d) Glass surfaces
37. Ultrasound is used to detect flaws in materials because it
(a) Penetrates deep into solids
(b) Travels faster in solids
(c) Is unaffected by air
(d) Has a low frequency
38. The speed of sound is lowest in
(a) Solids
(b) Liquids
(c) Gases
(d) Vacuum
39. The property of sound that changes with altitude is
(a) Amplitude
(b) Frequency
(c) Speed
(d) Wavelength

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 Chapter No. 03 (Geometrical optics)
1. The phenomenon of sound waves bending around obstacles is called
(a) Refraction
(b) Diffraction
(c) Reflection
(d) Dispersion
2. What is the critical angle in the context of total internal reflection
(a) The angle at which refraction begins
(b) The angle at which light is fully refracted
(c) The angle beyond which light is completely reflected back
(d) The angle that minimizes wave speed
3. The type of reflection in which light scatters in many directions is called
(a) Regular reflection
(b) Diffused reflection
(c) Specular reflection
(d) Total internal reflection
4. Concave mirrors are used in
(a) Rearview mirrors
(b) Shaving mirrors
(c) Periscopes
(d) Lighthouses
5. The focal length of a spherical mirror is equal to
(a) The radius of curvature
(b) Half the radius of curvature
(c) Twice the radius of curvature
(d) Zero
6. The angle between the incident ray and the normal is called
(a) Angle of refraction
(b) Angle of incidence
(c) Critical angle
(d) Angle of reflection
7. Convex mirrors always produce images that are
(a) Real and inverted
(b) Virtual and erect
(c) Enlarged and real
(d) Diminished and inverted
8. The wavelength of light changes during refraction due to changes in
(a) Frequency
(b) Speed
(c) Amplitude
(d) Angle of incidence
9. The phenomenon of light bending at the boundary between two media is called
(a) Reflection
(b) Diffraction

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 (c) Refraction
(d) Dispersion
10. What causes a pencil submerged in water to appear bent
(a) Diffraction
(b) Refraction
(c) Reflection
(d) Total internal reflection
11. Which optical device uses prisms for reflection
(a) Microscope
(b) Periscope
(c) Telescope
(d) Camera
12. What is the purpose of optical fibers in telecommunication
(a) Amplify signals
(b) Reflect sound waves
(c) Transmit light signals
(d) Refract light
13. Which type of lens is thicker in the center and converges light rays
(a) Convex lens
(b) Concave lens
(c) Cylindrical lens
(d) Plane lens
14. The refractive index of a medium is defined as the ratio of
(a) Speed of sound in air to the medium
(b) Speed of light in a vacuum to the medium
(c) Speed of sound in the medium to air
(d) Speed of light in the medium to a vacuum
15. Which instrument uses concave mirrors to focus light
(a) Telescope
(b) Microscope
(c) Camera
(d) Periscope
16. The wavelength of visible light lies in the range of
(a) 1 nm to 10 nm
(b) 400 nm to 700 nm
(c) 800 nm to 1000 nm
(d) 0.1 mm to 1 mm
17. The SI unit of refractive index is
(a) Meter
(b) Second
(c) Decibel
(d) None
18. The primary function of a convex lens in eyeglasses is to
(a) Converge light rays
(b) Diverge light rays

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 (c) Reflect light rays
(d) Absorb light rays
19. What is the principle behind endoscopes
(a) Diffraction of light
(b) Total internal reflection
(c) Refraction of light
(d) Absorption of light
20. The law of reflection states that the angle of incidence is equal to
(a) Angle of refraction
(b) Angle of reflection
(c) Critical angle
(d) None
21. Total internal reflection occurs when light travels from
(a) Air to water
(b) Water to air
(c) Glass to water
(d) Water to glass
22. The focal length of a convex lens is
(a) Positive
(b) Negative
(c) Zero
(d) Infinite

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