ALEKS MATH PLACEMENT EXAM PREP:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 FINAL
PAPER.
⫸ Crest. Ans: The highest point of a wave
⫸ Trough. Ans: The lowest point of a wave
⫸ Wavelength. Ans: The distance between the crests of a wave;
symbol is lambda
⫸ Frequency. Ans: The number of waves that pass through a point in
a given time; symbol is nu
⫸ Amplitude. Ans: The height of a crest or trough; crest to the zero
line; absolute value
⫸ Speed. Ans: How fast a wave travels in a given distance
⫸ Node. Ans: Point on a wave where the wave returns to the zero
line; a crest or trough is trapped between the two points
⫸ Electromagnetic Spectrum. Ans: The range of wavelengths or
frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extend
,⫸ Visible Light. Ans: White light is passed through a prism and
creates all visible colors; each color has its own frequency and
wavelength
⫸ Atoms and Colors. Ans: When an atom is excited by energy it
gives off its own characteristic colors of light
⫸ Photon. Ans: A light particle
⫸ Speed of Light Equation. Ans: C = w•f
C is the speed of light
w is wavelength in meters
f is frequency in hertz
⫸ Speed of Light. Ans: 3.00•10^8m/s
⫸ Continuous Spectrum. Ans: Broken bands of colored light
⫸ Bright Line Spectrum. Ans: a.k.a. emission spectrum; occurs due
to the energy an electron gives off as it travels from high to low
energy; fireworks
⫸ Dark Line Spectrum. Ans: a.k.a. absorption spectrum; occurs due
to the energy that an electron gains as it travels from low to high
energy
, ⫸ Energy using Planck's Constant. Ans: E = h•f
E is energy
h is Planck's constant
f is frequency in hertz
⫸ Planck's Constant. Ans: 6.626•10^-34 Joules/hertz
⫸ Wave-Particle Duality of Light. Ans: Light sometimes acts like a
particle and sometimes like a wave
⫸ Wave-Mechanical Model of the Atom. Ans: A model of the atom
in which the orbitals are nothing like orbits
⫸ Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Ans: It is impossible to know
the exact position and momentum of an electron at the same time
⫸ Quantum Theory for an Atom. Ans: The probability of finding
electrons in certain regions of an atom is described by orbitals
⫸ Atomic Orbital. Ans: A region around the nucleus of an atom
where an electron with a given energy may be found 90% of the time;
4 types: s, p, d, and f
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2026 FINAL
PAPER.
⫸ Crest. Ans: The highest point of a wave
⫸ Trough. Ans: The lowest point of a wave
⫸ Wavelength. Ans: The distance between the crests of a wave;
symbol is lambda
⫸ Frequency. Ans: The number of waves that pass through a point in
a given time; symbol is nu
⫸ Amplitude. Ans: The height of a crest or trough; crest to the zero
line; absolute value
⫸ Speed. Ans: How fast a wave travels in a given distance
⫸ Node. Ans: Point on a wave where the wave returns to the zero
line; a crest or trough is trapped between the two points
⫸ Electromagnetic Spectrum. Ans: The range of wavelengths or
frequencies over which electromagnetic radiation extend
,⫸ Visible Light. Ans: White light is passed through a prism and
creates all visible colors; each color has its own frequency and
wavelength
⫸ Atoms and Colors. Ans: When an atom is excited by energy it
gives off its own characteristic colors of light
⫸ Photon. Ans: A light particle
⫸ Speed of Light Equation. Ans: C = w•f
C is the speed of light
w is wavelength in meters
f is frequency in hertz
⫸ Speed of Light. Ans: 3.00•10^8m/s
⫸ Continuous Spectrum. Ans: Broken bands of colored light
⫸ Bright Line Spectrum. Ans: a.k.a. emission spectrum; occurs due
to the energy an electron gives off as it travels from high to low
energy; fireworks
⫸ Dark Line Spectrum. Ans: a.k.a. absorption spectrum; occurs due
to the energy that an electron gains as it travels from low to high
energy
, ⫸ Energy using Planck's Constant. Ans: E = h•f
E is energy
h is Planck's constant
f is frequency in hertz
⫸ Planck's Constant. Ans: 6.626•10^-34 Joules/hertz
⫸ Wave-Particle Duality of Light. Ans: Light sometimes acts like a
particle and sometimes like a wave
⫸ Wave-Mechanical Model of the Atom. Ans: A model of the atom
in which the orbitals are nothing like orbits
⫸ Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. Ans: It is impossible to know
the exact position and momentum of an electron at the same time
⫸ Quantum Theory for an Atom. Ans: The probability of finding
electrons in certain regions of an atom is described by orbitals
⫸ Atomic Orbital. Ans: A region around the nucleus of an atom
where an electron with a given energy may be found 90% of the time;
4 types: s, p, d, and f
