ACT Science : Physics
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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Laura is performing an experiment with a 5kg weight tied to a 3m rope tied to the ceiling as shown: 
Laura drops the weight and allows it to swing freely. She measures how long it takes for the weight to return to its original position (assume no forces outside of gravity are acting upon the pendulum). This is also called one oscillation.
Experiment 1:
Laura created the following table for her first measurement of the pendulum's oscillations.
Experiment 2:
Laura performed the experiment again, this time using a 6kg weight.
Experiment 3:
Laura performed the experiment again, this time using a 3kg weight and a 5m rope.
If Laura stopped experiment 3 after 10 seconds, how many oscillations would the pendulum have gone through?
2
2.23
2.5
3
2.23
Since each oscillation lasts 4.486 seconds,
gives us the answer of 2.23 oscillations.
Example Question #12 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
A new type of radiation is discovered on the electromagnetic spectrum that has a higher frequency than gamma rays. What would its speed most likely be?
Notice that all of the waves, regardless of their frequencies move at the same speed: 
Example Question #13 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
A new type of radiation is discovered with wavelength measurements between those of microwaves and infrared radiation. What is the most likely value of its frequency?
If the new radiation has a wavelength between the wavelengths of microwaves and infrared waves, then it must have a frequency between the frequencies of microwaves and infrared waves as well. Following the trends in the table, we can set up the flowing inequalities.
Example Question #14 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
A soccer field is approximately 
Infrared waves
Microwaves
Visible light
Radio waves
Radio waves
Radio waves have a wavelength of 
Example Question #15 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
A water molecule is approximately 
Radio waves
X-rays
Gamma rays
Microwaves
X-rays
X-rays have a wavelength of 
Radio waves and microwaves have wavelengths that are larger than the diameter of the water molecule, and gamma rays have a wavelength that is smaller.
Example Question #16 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
With which of the following variables is wavelength inversely proportional?
Frequency
Direction
Speed
Size
Frequency
The trends in the table, from top to bottom, are a decrease in wavelength, an increase in frequency, and no change in speed. Based on these trends, we can see that as wavelength decreases, frequency increases. This type of trend describes an inverse proportionality.
Example Question #17 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
The Earth's atmosphere prevents certain wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum from reaching the Earth's surface. If anything smaller than 
Radio waves
Visible Light
Ultraviolet light
Gamma rays
Gamma rays
The question states that any wavelengths less than 
The only answer choice with a wavelength smaller than 
Example Question #18 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
An AM radio wave has a frequency of approximately 
An AM Radio wave has a frequency in the middle between the given radio wave frequency and the given microwave frequency.
We should assume the wavelength will also be between their two values. The only answer choice that satisfies this requirement is 
Example Question #19 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
Mary realizes that all of the waves on the electromagnetic spectrum are moving at the speed of light. Which of these answer choices is a possible conclusion for this experiment?
Light operates purely as a wave with a constant frequency
These are the different frequencies and wavelengths of light
There are the different possible sizes, shapes, and speeds that light can take
Light operates as both a particle and a wave
These are the different frequencies and wavelengths of light
Based upon the experiment, Mary can assume that all of these waves are operating at the speed of light, but with different frequencies and wavelengths.
The other choices are incorrect as the experiment does not mention light being a particle. The experiment shows that these waves do not have a constant frequency. The problem does not talk about a "shape" of light.
Example Question #20 : How To Find Synthesis Of Data In Physics
Mary is performing an experiment involving the electromagnetic spectrum. She observes several different types of waves and records their wavelength, frequency, and speed.
The Earth's atmosphere allows types of radiation to enter the atmosphere, and blocks others. It allows in wavelengths from 
Infrared
X-rays
Visible light
Ultraviolet
X-rays
X-rays are the only answer with a wave length that does not fall within the range of distortion. Regardless of whether or not they are BLOCKED by the atmosphere, they are not DISTORTED by the given parameters.
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