NEET Physics: Wavefront and Huygens' principle Practice Questions
11 free multiple-choice questions on Wavefront and Huygens' principle (Wave Optics) for NEET Physics, each with the correct answer and a step-by-step explanation. Attempt a question, then reveal the solution to check your reasoning.
Practice thousands more NEET questions in the app →Q1. Huygens' principle states that every point on a wavefront acts as a source of:
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Correct answer: B — Spherical wavelets.
Huygens' principle states that every point on a wavefront generates secondary spherical wavelets that travel into the medium.
Q2. If a wave propagates in a uniform medium, what geometric property must be maintained for the shape of the wavefront?
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Correct answer: C — Constant shape (e.g., plane, spherical, or cylindrical)
The shape of a wavefront is determined by the properties of the medium and the nature of the propagation. For simple propagation in uniform media, the wavefront maintains a specific geometric shape (like spherical or plane).
Q3. The new wavefront formed by the superposition of these secondary wavelets is always:
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Correct answer: A — A spherical wavefront.
The superposition of these wavelets results in a new surface which is the locus of points equidistant from the sources, forming a spherical wavefront.
Q4. In a plane wave, the wavefront is characterized by:
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Correct answer: B — constant phase
A plane wave has a constant phase across its surface, which defines the wavefront.
Q5. The principle of superposition is essential for correctly determining the shape of the wavefront when:
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Correct answer: D — Multiple sources contribute to the wave propagation.
The principle of superposition is used to combine the effects of all the secondary wavelets generated by Huygens' sources to reconstruct the overall wavefront.
Q6. In the context of wave optics, what property characterizes a wavefront?
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Correct answer: A — The locus of points where the phase of the wave is constant.
A wavefront is the surface on which the phase of the wave is constant.
Q7. Which property defines a wavefront in wave optics?
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Correct answer: C — The locus of points where the phase is constant
A wavefront is the surface representing all points in space that are in a state of constant phase.
Q8. According to Huygens' principle, a new wavefront is determined by:
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Correct answer: C — the tangents drawn from all points on the wavefront
Huygens' principle states that every point on a wavefront acts as a source of secondary spherical wavelets. The new wavefront is the envelope of these secondary wavelets, which is formed by the tangents drawn from all points on the original wavefront.
Q9. For a spherical source emitting spherical waves, the resulting wavefronts will be:
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Correct answer: D — spherical waves
Spherical sources generate spherical wavefronts because the distance from the source is the same in all directions, resulting in spherical symmetry.
Q10. The propagation of a wave is governed by the speed of the wave. If the wavelength of a wave is λ and its frequency is f, the velocity (v) of the wave is given by:
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Correct answer: D — v = λ/ f
The relationship between wave speed (v), frequency (f), and wavelength (λ) is v = fλ.
Q11. What is a wavefront?
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Correct answer: B — the locus of points on a surface that are in the same phase
A wavefront is the surface formed by all points which are in the same phase of a wave at a given instant.
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