📘 Study MCQs
Q1. The human voice box is also known as the:
• Trachea
• Larynx
• Esophagus
• Pharynx
LarynxThe larynx, commonly called the voice box, is a hollow muscular organ located at the upper end of the windpipe that houses the vocal cords and is responsible for voice production.
Q2. Sound is produced by a:
• Stationary object
• Vibrating object
• Silent object
• Moving object
Vibrating objectSound is generated when an object vibrates, creating disturbances in the surrounding medium; without vibration, no sound is produced.
Q3. The vocal cords are located in the:
• Windpipe
• Food pipe
• Larynx
• Ear
LarynxThe vocal cords are two bands of elastic tissue situated within the larynx that vibrate to produce sound when air passes through them.
Q4. The eardrum is a part of the:
• Nose
• Eye
• Ear
• Tongue
EarThe eardrum, also called the tympanic membrane, is a thin, stretched membrane located in the middle ear that vibrates in response to sound waves.
Q5. Which part of the tabla vibrates to produce sound?
• The metal ghungroo
• The leather strap
• The stretched membrane
• The wooden body
The stretched membraneThe tabla produces sound when its stretched membrane (the drumhead) is struck, causing it to vibrate and generate sound waves.
Q6. Sound cannot travel through:
• Air
• Water
• Steel
• Vacuum
VacuumSound requires a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas) for propagation; in a vacuum, there are no particles to transmit vibrations.
Q7. The hearing range of human ears is approximately:
• 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
• 5 Hz to 50 Hz
• 20,000 Hz to 50,000 Hz
• 1 Hz to 10 Hz
20 Hz to 20,000 HzHumans can typically hear frequencies between 20 hertz (deep bass) and 20,000 hertz (very high pitch), though this range decreases with age.
Q8. The stretched membrane of the mridangam is its:
• String
• Vibrating part
• Bow
• Resonator
Vibrating partThe stretched membrane of the mridangam acts as the vibrating surface that produces sound when struck, making it the primary vibrating part.
Q9. In humans, sound is produced by the:
• Lungs
• Heart
• Larynx
• Mouth
LarynxThe larynx contains the vocal cords, whose vibrations produce sound; the lungs provide airflow, but the larynx is the actual sound-producing organ.
Q10. Which of these is a stringed musical instrument?
• Tabla
• Flute
• Veena
• Dhol
VeenaThe veena is a classical Indian stringed instrument where sound is produced by plucking stretched strings, unlike percussion or wind instruments.
Q11. In a flute, the vibrating part is the:
• Stretched string
• Air column
• Membrane
• Reed
Air columnIn a flute, sound is produced by blowing air across an opening, causing the air column inside the tube to vibrate.
Q12. The larynx is located at the upper end of the:
• Food pipe
• Windpipe
• Heart
• Backbone
WindpipeThe larynx sits at the top of the windpipe (trachea), acting as a passageway for air between the throat and the lungs.
Q13. Sound waves are:
• Mechanical waves
• Electromagnetic waves
• Light waves
• Static waves
Mechanical wavesSound waves are mechanical waves that require a material medium to propagate, unlike electromagnetic waves which can travel through a vacuum.
Q14. The thin, stretched membrane at the end of the ear canal is called the:
• Cochlea
• Eardrum
• Anvil
• Pinna
EardrumThe eardrum is a cone-shaped membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear and vibrates when sound waves strike it.
Q15. Which of the following voices is most likely to have the highest pitch?
• A grown-up man
• A grown-up woman
• A baby
• An old man
A babyBabies have very short and thin vocal cords, which vibrate at higher frequencies, producing a higher-pitched voice compared to adults.
Q16. The vocal cords in men are usually:
• Shorter than women’s
• Longer than women’s
• Softer than women’s
• The same as women’s
Longer than women’sMen typically have longer and thicker vocal cords, which vibrate more slowly, producing a deeper voice with lower pitch.
Q17. Which instrument uses a membrane to produce sound?
• Violin
• Flute
• Tabla
• Sitar
TablaThe tabla is a membranophone—a percussion instrument that produces sound through the vibration of a stretched membrane when struck.
Q18. We are able to hear the voice of our friend because sound travels through:
• Vacuum
• Air
• Earth
• Fire
AirSound from a friend’s voice travels as mechanical waves through the air, reaching our ears for detection.
Q19. The number of vocal cords in the human larynx is:
• One
• Two
• Three
• Four
TwoThe human larynx contains a pair of vocal cords (folds) that stretch across the larynx and vibrate to produce sound.
Q20. When we speak, air comes from the:
• Heart
• Lungs
• Stomach
• Kidneys
LungsDuring speech, air is expelled from the lungs through the trachea, passing through the larynx where it sets the vocal cords into vibration.
Q21. The sound from a flute is produced by:
• Plucking strings
• Striking a membrane
• Blowing air
• Rubbing sticks
Blowing airA flute produces sound when the player blows air across an edge, causing the air column inside to vibrate.
Q22. The correct path of sound in the human ear is:
• Pinna → Ear canal → Eardrum
• Eardrum → Pinna → Ear canal
• Ear canal → Pinna → Eardrum
• Cochlea → Pinna → Ear canal
Pinna → Ear canal → EardrumSound waves are collected by the pinna, funneled through the ear canal, and cause the eardrum to vibrate.
Q23. A sound is produced when something:
• Moves
• Vibrates
• Stops
• Shines
VibratesSound generation requires vibration; mere movement without vibration does not create sound waves.
Q24. The eardrum is located between the:
• Ear canal and middle ear
• Pinna and ear canal
• Middle ear and inner ear
• Cochlea and auditory nerve
Ear canal and middle earThe eardrum forms the boundary between the outer ear (ear canal) and the middle ear cavity.
Q25. Which of these requires a medium to travel?
• Light from the sun
• Heat from a fire
• Sound from a bell
• X-rays
Sound from a bellSound is a mechanical wave and requires a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas); light, heat, and X-rays are electromagnetic waves that can travel through vacuum.
Q26. A deeper voice (low pitch) is produced when vocal cords are:
• Short and vibrate fast
• Long and vibrate slowly
• Loose and thick
• Thin and tight
Long and vibrate slowlyLonger vocal cords have a lower natural frequency, vibrating more slowly to produce a deeper pitch.
Q27. The main vibrating part in a veena is the:
• Stretched string
• Gourd
• Hollow body
• Frets
Stretched stringIn the veena, sound is primarily produced by plucking stretched strings, which vibrate to generate musical notes.
Q28. Without the eardrum, a person would not be able to:
• See
• Smell
• Hear
• Taste
HearThe eardrum is essential for hearing, as it converts incoming sound waves into mechanical vibrations that are transmitted to the inner ear.
Q29. The ‘slit’ between the vocal cords, through which air passes, is called the:
• Glottis
• Epiglottis
• Trachea
• Uvula
GlottisThe glottis is the opening between the vocal cords through which air flows; its size changes during speech to produce different sounds.
Q30. Sound travels fastest in:
• Liquids
• Gases
• Solids
• Vacuum
SolidsSound travels fastest in solids because particles are closely packed, allowing vibrations to transfer more quickly than in liquids or gases.
Q31. The part of the ear that collects sound from the surroundings is the:
• Ear canal
• Pinna
• Eardrum
• Cochlea
PinnaThe pinna (outer ear) is the visible part of the ear that gathers sound waves and directs them into the ear canal.
Q32. A vibrating object produces sound. If it stops vibrating, it will:
• Produce louder sound
• Produce no sound
• Produce a different pitch
• Echo
Produce no soundSound production is directly dependent on vibration; when vibration ceases, sound generation stops immediately.
Q33. The high pitch of a female voice is due to:
• Longer vocal cords
• Shorter vocal cords
• Larger lungs
• Wider windpipe
Shorter vocal cordsWomen generally have shorter vocal cords, which vibrate at higher frequencies, producing a higher-pitched voice.
Q34. The air column in a wind instrument vibrates because:
• It is made of metal
• It is hollow
• It is struck by a hammer
• Air is blown into it
Air is blown into itBlowing air into a wind instrument creates pressure differences that set the air column inside into vibration.
Q35. The lungs help in sound production by:
• Vibrating directly
• Filtering the air
• Pushing air through the vocal cords
• Absorbing sound
Pushing air through the vocal cordsThe lungs act as bellows, forcing air through the trachea and across the vocal cords to initiate vibration.
Q36. In which of the following media will sound travel the slowest?
• Iron
• Water
• Air
• Wood
AirSound travels slowest in gases because particles are farthest apart; in air, the speed is about 343 m/s, compared to faster speeds in liquids and solids.
Q37. The eardrum converts sound waves into:
• Electrical signals
• Light signals
• Vibrations
• Heat
VibrationsThe eardrum converts incoming sound waves into mechanical vibrations, which are then amplified by the middle ear bones.
Q38. A musical instrument that produces sound by vibrating strings is a:
• Dhol
• Flute
• Sitar
• Shehnai
SitarThe sitar is a stringed instrument where sound is produced by plucking stretched strings that vibrate.
Q39. Children have a high-pitched voice because their vocal cords are:
• Very long
• Very short and thin
• Very thick
• Very loose
Very short and thinChildren have short and thin vocal cords that vibrate at higher frequencies, producing a high-pitched voice.
Q40. The process of hearing begins when the pinna:
• Vibrates
• Collects sound waves
• Sends signals to the brain
• Amplifies sound
Collects sound wavesThe pinna acts as a funnel to collect sound waves from the environment and direct them into the ear canal.
Q41. Astronauts on the moon cannot talk to each other directly because:
• Their suits are too thick
• There is no atmosphere (medium) on the moon
• Sound is too slow on the moon
• They are too far apart
There is no atmosphere (medium) on the moonThe moon lacks air, so sound waves have no medium to travel through; astronauts use radio communication instead.
Q42. The stretched skin of a drum is its:
• Resonator
• Vibrating membrane
• Handle
• Stick
Vibrating membraneThe stretched skin (drumhead) is the vibrating membrane that produces sound when struck.
Q43. The larynx gets its name “voice box” because it:
• Amplifies the sound
• Filters the air we breathe
• Houses the vocal cords
• Connects to the stomach
Houses the vocal cordsThe larynx is called the voice box because it contains the vocal cords, which vibrate to produce sound for speech.
Q44. The vibrations from the eardrum are passed to the:
• Pinna
• Ear canal
• Middle ear bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup)
• Cochlea directly
Middle ear bones (hammer, anvil, stirrup)The three small bones—hammer, anvil, and stirrup—transmit and amplify vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear.
Q45. A vacuum is a space where there is no:
• Light
• Matter
• Gravity
• Energy
MatterA vacuum is a region devoid of matter (air or other particles), which means sound cannot propagate through it.
Q46. Which of these is an example of a wind instrument?
• Tabla
• Sitar
• Flute
• Veena
FluteThe flute is a wind instrument where sound is produced by blowing air into or across an opening.
Q47. The characteristic of sound that distinguishes a sharp note from a flat note is called:
• Loudness
• Pitch
• Quality
• Intensity
PitchPitch is the property of sound that allows us to distinguish between high (sharp) and low (flat) notes, determined by frequency.
Q48. To make a sound louder, we need to increase the:
• Frequency
• Speed
• Amplitude of vibration
• Pitch
Amplitude of vibrationLoudness depends on the amplitude of vibration—greater amplitude produces louder sound, while smaller amplitude produces softer sound.
Q49. The auditory nerve sends signals from the inner ear to the:
• Heart
• Brain
• Lungs
• Eardrum
BrainThe auditory nerve transmits electrical impulses from the cochlea (inner ear) to the brain, where they are interpreted as sound.
Q50. A ringing bell is placed inside a jar. If the air is slowly removed from the jar, the sound will: (NCERT)
• Become louder
• Remain the same
• Become fainter and then stop
• Turn into an echo
Become fainter and then stopAs air is removed, the medium for sound transmission becomes thinner; eventually, in near-vacuum, sound cannot travel and ceases to be heard.
