SPI EDELMAN ULTRASOUND PHYSICS EXAM COMPLETE
QUESTIONS AND ALL ANSWERS CORRECT Latest 2026
Update.
3 rules for powers of 10s - positive exponents are >10
negative exponents are <10
0 exponent has a value between 1 and 10
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^6 - mega, M, 1,000,000
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^3 - kilo, k, 1,000
what is the value for an exponent of 10^0 - 1
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^-1 - deci, d, 1/10
what is the prefix, symbol, and value for an exponent of 10^-2 - centi, c, 1/100
what is the prefix, symbol, and value for an exponent of 10^-3 - milli, m, 1/1000
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^-6 - micro, u, 1/1000000
All waves carry _______ from one location to another. - energy
Sound is a __________ wave in which particles in the medium move. - mechanical
,Can sound travel through a vacuum? - No. Sound must travel through matter and there is
no matter in vacuums.
there are areas of ______ and ______ in a sound wave - compression, rarefraction
in what way does sound travel? - in a straight line
Sound waves are _____ waves. - longitudinal
Acoustic propagation properties are? - the effects of the medium upon the sound wave
Acoustic variables - changes that occur within a medium as a result of sound traveling
through that medium
What are the 3 acoustic variables? - Pressure (P), density (ρ), and distance (particle
vibration)
what is the acoustic variable pressure ? - concentration of force in an area
units: pascals (Pa)
what is the acoustic variable density? - concentration of mass in a volume
units: kg/cm^3
what is the acoustic variable distance? - measure of particle motion
units: cm, feet, mile
what does one of the acoustic variables have to do in order to be a sound wave? -
rhythmically oscillate
,sound waves are also known as ____ waves - acoustic
What are the 7 acoustic parameters? - 1. Period
2. Frequency
3. Amplitude
4. Power
5. Intensity
6. Wavelength
7. Propagation speed
How do particles move in a transverse waves? - perpendicular to the wave propagation
(ex: hold end of string and shake up and down)
how do particles move in longitudinal waves? - in the same direction that the wave
propagates.
sound is a longitudinal wave.
what are considered in-phase waves? - a pair of waves that have their peaks at the same
time and same location
what are considered out-of-phase waves? - a pair of waves that have their peaks at different
points and at different times
what kind of interference occurs with in-phase waves? - constructive interference
, what kind of interference occurs with out-phase waves? - destructive interference
what is interference (for sound)? - when more than one sound beam travel in a medium and
can arrive at the same place at the same time. the waves then loose their individual characteristics
and combine to form a single wave.
when the frequency of different waves differ, _____________ interference occur - both
constrictive and destructive
_____ describe the features of a sound wave - parameters
what are the 7 parameters of sound? (CW) - period, frequency, amplitude, power, intensity,
wavelength, speed
_____ is the time it takes a wave to vibrate a single cycle, or the time from the start of one cycle
to the start of the next - period
what is period reported in? - time (microseconds)
what is the typical value of a period? - .06-.5 us (microseconds)
what is period determined by? - determined by the sound source only, not the medium
Is period adjustable? - -No. The sonographer cannot change the period while using a basic
ultrasound system with a particular transducer.
_____ is the number of particular events that occur in a specific duration of time. in ultrasound,
this of a wave is described as the number of cycles that occurs in one second - frequency
QUESTIONS AND ALL ANSWERS CORRECT Latest 2026
Update.
3 rules for powers of 10s - positive exponents are >10
negative exponents are <10
0 exponent has a value between 1 and 10
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^6 - mega, M, 1,000,000
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^3 - kilo, k, 1,000
what is the value for an exponent of 10^0 - 1
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^-1 - deci, d, 1/10
what is the prefix, symbol, and value for an exponent of 10^-2 - centi, c, 1/100
what is the prefix, symbol, and value for an exponent of 10^-3 - milli, m, 1/1000
what is the prefix, symbol and value for an exponent of 10^-6 - micro, u, 1/1000000
All waves carry _______ from one location to another. - energy
Sound is a __________ wave in which particles in the medium move. - mechanical
,Can sound travel through a vacuum? - No. Sound must travel through matter and there is
no matter in vacuums.
there are areas of ______ and ______ in a sound wave - compression, rarefraction
in what way does sound travel? - in a straight line
Sound waves are _____ waves. - longitudinal
Acoustic propagation properties are? - the effects of the medium upon the sound wave
Acoustic variables - changes that occur within a medium as a result of sound traveling
through that medium
What are the 3 acoustic variables? - Pressure (P), density (ρ), and distance (particle
vibration)
what is the acoustic variable pressure ? - concentration of force in an area
units: pascals (Pa)
what is the acoustic variable density? - concentration of mass in a volume
units: kg/cm^3
what is the acoustic variable distance? - measure of particle motion
units: cm, feet, mile
what does one of the acoustic variables have to do in order to be a sound wave? -
rhythmically oscillate
,sound waves are also known as ____ waves - acoustic
What are the 7 acoustic parameters? - 1. Period
2. Frequency
3. Amplitude
4. Power
5. Intensity
6. Wavelength
7. Propagation speed
How do particles move in a transverse waves? - perpendicular to the wave propagation
(ex: hold end of string and shake up and down)
how do particles move in longitudinal waves? - in the same direction that the wave
propagates.
sound is a longitudinal wave.
what are considered in-phase waves? - a pair of waves that have their peaks at the same
time and same location
what are considered out-of-phase waves? - a pair of waves that have their peaks at different
points and at different times
what kind of interference occurs with in-phase waves? - constructive interference
, what kind of interference occurs with out-phase waves? - destructive interference
what is interference (for sound)? - when more than one sound beam travel in a medium and
can arrive at the same place at the same time. the waves then loose their individual characteristics
and combine to form a single wave.
when the frequency of different waves differ, _____________ interference occur - both
constrictive and destructive
_____ describe the features of a sound wave - parameters
what are the 7 parameters of sound? (CW) - period, frequency, amplitude, power, intensity,
wavelength, speed
_____ is the time it takes a wave to vibrate a single cycle, or the time from the start of one cycle
to the start of the next - period
what is period reported in? - time (microseconds)
what is the typical value of a period? - .06-.5 us (microseconds)
what is period determined by? - determined by the sound source only, not the medium
Is period adjustable? - -No. The sonographer cannot change the period while using a basic
ultrasound system with a particular transducer.
_____ is the number of particular events that occur in a specific duration of time. in ultrasound,
this of a wave is described as the number of cycles that occurs in one second - frequency
