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Oscillations MCQs for MDCAT Practice

Physics section, Oscillations chapter. Up to eight free sample questions, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. The full chapter opens in the app.

The bank has 412 active questions on this chapter. Your first 500 practice attempts are free, and every attempt includes a worked explanation.

  1. Question 1
    A simple pendulum completes one vibration in one second. If g = 981 cm/s^2 as length will be:
    • 24.8 m
    • 24.8 cm (correct answer)
    • 2.48 cm
    • 248 cm
    Correct answer: B
    This question tests the understanding of the time period of a simple pendulum and unit conversions in physics.
  2. Question 2
    A spider can tell when its web has captured, say, a fly because the fly’s thrashing causes the web threads to oscillate. A spider can even determine the size of the fly by the frequency of the oscillations. Assume that a fly oscillates on the capture thread on which it is caught like a block on a spring.What is the ratio of oscillation frequency for a fly with mass m to a fly with mass 4m?
    • 1
    • 2 (correct answer)
    • 4
    • 8
    Correct answer: B
    The oscillation frequency of a mass-spring system is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass. Doubling the mass halves the frequency.
  3. Question 3
    If the length of pendulum becomes four times then the time period will be:
    • Same
    • Four times
    • Two times (correct answer)
    • 16 times
    Correct answer: C
    A pendulum's time period is directly proportional to the square root of its length. Increasing length by 4x increases period by 2x.
  4. Question 4
    Distance covered by an oscillating body in one time period if its amplitude of vibration is A will be:
    • [MATH: 2A]A.
    • Zero
    • 3A
    • 4A (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    The total distance covered by an oscillating body in one complete cycle, with amplitude A, is 4A, not just displacement or partial distances.
  5. Question 5
    Damping is the process whereby _______ is ______ from the oscillating system.
    • Energy ; dissipated (correct answer)
    • Energy ; generated
    • Energy ; conserved
    • Energy ; stored
    Correct answer: A
    Damping reduces oscillation amplitude by causing energy loss. Understanding this is crucial for analyzing real-world oscillatory systems.
  6. Question 6
    An angular velocity of 60 revolutions per minute is the same as:
    • 1/2π rad/s
    • 120π rad/s
    • 30/π rad/s
    • 2π rad/s (correct answer)
    Correct answer: D
    Converts angular velocity from revolutions per minute (RPM) to radians per second (rad/s), a fundamental skill in rotational motion problems.
  7. Question 7
    The displacement of the particle executing SHM is given by x = 0.01 sin (100πt). The time period is:
    • 0.01 sec
    • 0.2 sec
    • 0.02 sec (correct answer)
    • 0.1 sec
    Correct answer: C
    This question tests your ability to extract the time period of Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) from its displacement equation, a fundamental concept in oscillations.
  8. Question 8
    In SHM, velocity is maximum at:
    • Mean position
    • Extreme position (correct answer)
    • Both
    • At any point
    Correct answer: B
    Understand the relationship between displacement and velocity in Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM) to identify where velocity is maximum.

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Read the full Oscillations chapter notes: Oscillations notes. Or browse every chapter.