Jump to a section

Physics - Waves and Sound

Practise 40 KCET previous year questions on Waves and Sound, compiled from papers spanning 2007 to 2026. Each question is pulled directly from the actual exam paper it appeared in, so you're practising in the exact style and difficulty KCET tests.

Waves and Sound has been asked in 17 of the 20 years of KCET papers analysed (2007–2026), with 40 questions in all. 38% of them were easy, 33% moderate and 30% tough. Most of its questions came from 2011, with 4 questions that year. In the last three years (2024–2026) it had 3 questions across 3 papers, about 1 per paper.

The chapter's 9 topics are not weighted equally: Basics of Mechanical Waves (8 questions, 20%), Doppler’s Effect (7 questions, 18%), and Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column) (6 questions, 15%) have been asked the most. Over the last five years the most frequent topics have been Beats (2) and Basics of Mechanical Waves (1). Doppler’s Effect has produced the most tough questions (4).

  1. 1A source of frequency gives beats/second when sounded with a source of frequency Hz. The second Harmonic of frequency of the source gives be2026Beats
  2. 2The angle between the particle velocity and wave velocity in a transverse wave is [except when the particle passes through the mean position2025Basics of Mechanical Waves
  3. 3A motor-cyclist moving towards a huge cliff with a speed of , blows a horn of source frequency 325 Hz . If the speed of the sound in air is 2024Beats
  4. 4A train whistling at constant frequency is moving towards a station at a constant speed . The train goes past a stationary observer on the s2020Doppler's Effect
  5. 5Due to Doppler's effect the shift in wavelength observed is \( 0.1 Å \) for a star producing wavelength \( 6000 Å \). Velocity of recession 2019Doppler's Effect
  6. 6The equation of a stationary wave is \( y=2 ( { x}{15} ) (48 t) \). The distance between a node and its next antinode is2019Stationary waves
  7. 7First overtone frequency of a closed pipe of length ' \( l_{1}{ }^{ } \) is equal to \( 2^{ {nd }} \) hormonic frequency of an open pipe of 2018Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)
  8. 8A bar magnet is allowed to fall verticallythrough a copper coil placed in a horizontalplane. The magnet falls with a net acceleration2017Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)
  9. 9A source of sound is moving with a velocity of \( 50 {~ms}^{-1} \) towards a stationary observer. The observer measures the frequency of sou2016Doppler's Effect
  10. 10Three resistances \( 2 , 3 \) and \( 4 \) are connected in parallel. The ratio of currents passing through them when a potential difference 2015Vibration of String
  11. 11Two cells of emf \( E_{1} \) and \( E_{2} \) are joined in opposition (such that \( E_{1}>E_{2} \) ). If \( r_{1} \) and \( r_{2} \) be the 2015Beats
  12. 12What is a period of revolution of earth satellite ? Ignore the height of satellite above the surface of earth. Given : (1) The value of grav2014Basics of Mechanical Waves
  13. 13A period of geostationary satellite is2014Doppler's Effect
  14. 14A metallic wire of \( 1 {~m} \) length has a mass of \( 10 10^{-3} {~kg} \). If a tension of \( 100 {~N} \) is applied to a wire, what is th2014Vibration of String
  15. 15The equation of a transverse wave is given by , where are in metre and is in second. The minimum distance of separation between two particle2013Basics of Mechanical Waves
  16. 16The frequency of the second overtone of the open pipe is equal to the frequency of the first overtone of the closed pipe. The ratio of the l2013Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)
  17. 17A person with vibrating tuning fork of frequency is moving towards a vertical wall with a speed of . Velocity of sound in air is . The numbe2013Beats
  18. 18Intensity level of sound whose intensity is is2012Properties of Sound Waves
  19. 19Frequencies of light incident on a system of scattering particles are in the ratio of . Then, the intensity of scattered light in a particul2012Travelling Waves
  20. 20Which of the following is incorrect?2012Basics of Mechanical Waves
  21. 21The equation of a wave is given by . If the displacement is at , then the total phase at is2011Basics of Mechanical Waves
  22. 22Two tuning forks and , produce notes of frequencies and . An unknown note sounded with A produces certain beats. When the same note is sound2011Beats
  23. 23A wire under tension vibrates with a fundamental frequency of . If the length of the wire is doubled, the radius is halved and the wire is m2011Vibration of String
  24. 24If the scattering intensity of a liquid is 8 units at a wavelength of , then the scattering intensity at a wavelength of will be approximate2011Travelling Waves
  25. 25A bat flies at a steady speed of emitting a sound of . It is flying horizontally towards a vertical wall. The frequency of the reflected sou2010Doppler's Effect
  26. 26A closed organ pipe and an open organ pipe of same length produce 2 beats/second while vibrating in their fundamental modes. The length of t2010Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)
  27. 27A uniform wire of length , diameter and density is stretched under a tension T. The correct relation between its fundamental frequency , the2010Vibration of String
  28. 28In a given direction, the intensities of the scattered light by a scattering substance for two beams of light are in the ratio of . The rati2010Travelling Waves
  29. 29Sound waves transfer2009Properties of Sound Waves
  30. 30A stationary point source of sound emits sound uniformly in all directions in a non-absorbing medium. Two points and are at a distance of an2009Properties of Sound Waves
  31. 31represents an equation of a progressive wave, where is in second and is in metre. The distance travelled by the wave in is2009Basics of Mechanical Waves
  32. 32A cylindrical tube open at both the ends has a fundamental frequency of in air. If th of the tube is immersed vertically in water the fundam2009Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)
  33. 33The equation of a simple harmonic wave is given by , where and are in and is in seconds. The phase difference between two particles apart at2008Travelling Waves
  34. 34With what velocity should an observer approach a stationary sound source, so that the apparent frequency of sound should appear double the a2008Doppler's Effect
  35. 35A string vibrates with a frequency of . When its length is doubled and tension is altered, it begins to vibrate with a frequency of . The ra2008Basics of Mechanical Waves
  36. 36How many times more intense is a sound than a sound?2008Properties of Sound Waves
  37. 37The maximum particle velocity in a wave motion is half the wave velocity. Then the amplitude of the wave is equal to2007Basics of Mechanical Waves
  38. 38The ratio of the velocity of sound in hydrogen to that in helium at the same temperature is2007Speed of Sound Waves
  39. 39An engine moving towards a wall with a velocity emits a note of . Speed of sound in air is . The frequency of the note after reflection from2007Doppler's Effect
  40. 40A glass tube is open at both the ends. A tuning fork of frequency resonates with the air column inside the tube. Now the tube is placed vert2007Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column)

Frequently Asked Questions

1.How many questions are available for Waves and Sound?

This chapter includes 40 questions compiled from KCET papers spanning 2007 to 2026.

2.Are these questions only from KCET, or from other exams too?

These are KCET questions specifically for the Waves and Sound chapter. Questions from other exams like JEE Main or NTA Abhyas (JEE Main) are organised separately under their respective exam sections.

3.Is Waves and Sound an important chapter for KCET Physics?

Waves and Sound has appeared in 17 of the 20 years of KCET papers covered here, with 40 questions across 17 papers - about 2 per paper it appears in.

4.What is the difficulty level of Waves and Sound questions in KCET?

Of the 40 questions analysed for this chapter, 38% are easy, 33% moderate and 30% tough. 2011 had the most, with 4 questions.

5.Which topics in Waves and Sound should I focus on?

These topics have carried the most weightage in Waves and Sound:

  • Basics of Mechanical Waves - 8 questions (20%)
  • Doppler’s Effect - 7 questions (18%)
  • Organ Pipe (Vibration of Air Column) - 6 questions (15%)
  • Doppler’s Effect has produced the most tough questions (4).
6.Is Waves and Sound's weightage in KCET going up or down?

Across all 17 papers analysed, Waves and Sound has averaged about 2.4 questions per paper. In the last three years (2024–2026), that average has fallen, at about 1.0 questions per paper. Use the year-wise numbers on this page for the exact trend before you decide how much time to give it.