Practice questions

1. This question is about sound waves.

A sound wave of frequency 660 Hz passes
through air. The variation of particle 0.5
displacement with distance along the

displacement / mm
wave at one instant of time is shown in
Figure 5.85. 0
1.0 2.0
(a) State whether this wave is an
example of a longitudinal or a
transverse wave. (1) –0.5
(b) Using data from Figure 5.85, deduce
for this sound wave,
distance / m
(i) the wavelength. (1)
(ii) the amplitude. (1) Figure 5.85.

(iii) the speed. (2)

(Total 5 marks)
2. This question is about waves and wave properties.
A C E
(a) By making reference to waves,
distinguish between a ray and a
wavefront. (3) F
medium I
Figure 5.86 shows three wavefronts medium R
incident on a boundary between medium
I and medium R. Wavefront CD is shown
crossing the boundary. Wavefront EF is
incomplete.
(b) (i) Copy Figure 5.86 and, on your
B
diagram, draw a line to complete D
the wavefront EF. (1)
(ii) Explain in which medium, I or R,
the wave has the higher speed. (3) Figure 5.86.

(iii) By taking appropriate measurements from the diagram, determine the ratio of the
speeds of the wave travelling from medium I to medium R. (2)
Figure 5.87 shows the variation with time t of the velocity v of one particle of the medium
through which the wave is travelling.
6
4
v / m s–1
2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
–2
–4
–6
t / × 10–3 Figure 5.87.

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 05 Oscillations and waves

(c) (i) Explain how it can be deduced from Figure 5.87 that the particle is oscillating. (2)
(ii) Determine the frequency of oscillation of the particle. (2)
(iii) Copy Figure 5.87 and mark on your graph with the letter M one time at which the
particle is at maximum displacement. (1)
(iv) Estimate the area between the curve and the x-axis from the time t = 0 to the time
t = 1.5 ms. (2)
(v) Suggest what the area in (c) (iv) represents. (1)
(Total 17 marks)
3. This question is about waves and wave motion.
(a) (i) Define what is meant by the speed of a wave. (2)
(ii) Light is emitted from a candle flame. Explain why, in this situation, it is correct to refer to
the ‘speed of the emitted light’, rather than its velocity. (2)
(b) (i) Define, by reference to wave motion, what is meant by displacement. (2)
(ii) By reference to displacement, describe the difference between a longitudinal wave and a
transverse wave. (3)

P wave S wave
1200

800
d/km
400

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225
t/s Figure 5.88.
The centre of an earthquake produces both longitudinal waves (P waves) and transverse
waves (S waves). Figure 5.88 shows the variation with time t of the distance d moved by
the two types of wave.
(c) Use Figure 5.88 to determine the speed of:
(i) the P waves. (1)
(ii) the S waves. (1)
The waves from an earthquake close to the Earth’s surface 900 km
L1 L2
are detected at three laboratories L1, L2, and L3. The
laboratories are at the corners of a triangle so that each
is separated from the others by a distance of 900 km, as
shown in Figure 5.89.
The records of the variation with time of the vibrations
produced by the earthquake as detected at the three
L3
laboratories are shown in Figure 5.90. All three records
were started at the same time. Figure 5.89.

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 L1

L2

start of trace L3
time

Figure 5.90.
On each record, one pulse is made by the S wave and the other by the P wave. The separation of
the two pulses is referred to as the S–P interval.
(d) (i) Copy Figure 5.90 and on the trace produced by laboratory L2 identify, by reference to
your answers in (c), the pulse due to the P wave (label the pulse P). (1)
(ii) Using evidence from the records of the earthquake, state which laboratory was closest to
the site of the earthquake. (1)
(iii) State three separate pieces of evidence for your statement in (d)(ii). (3)
(iv) The S-P intervals are 68 s, 42 s, and 27 s for laboratories L1, L2, and L3 respectively.
Use the figures, or otherwise, to determine the distance of the earthquake from each
laboratory. Explain your working. (4)
(v) Copy Figure 5.89 and mark on the diagram a possible site of the earthquake. (1)
There is a tall building near to the site of the earthquake, as illustrated in Figure 5.91.

building

direction of vibrations ground

Figure 5.91.
The base of the building vibrates horizontally due to the earthquake.
(e) (i) Copy Figure 5.90 and on your diagram draw the fundamental mode of vibration of the
building caused by these vibrations. (1)
The building is of height 280 m and the mean speed of waves in the structure of the
building is 3.4 × 103 m s−1.
(ii) Explain quantitatively why earthquake waves of frequency about 6 Hz are likely to be
very destructive. (3)
(Total 25 marks)

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 05 Oscillations and waves

4. This question is about the interference of waves.

(a) State the principle of superposition. (2)
Figure 5.92 shows a wire is stretched between two points A and B.
A B
Figure 5.92.
A standing wave is set up in the wire.
This wave can be thought of as being
made up from the superposition of two
waves, a wave X travelling from A to
B, and a wave Y travelling from B to A.
A B
At one particular instant in time, the
displacement of the wire is as shown
in Figure 5.93. A background grid is
given for reference and the equilibrium
position of the wire is shown as a
dotted line.
Figure 5.93.
(b) Copy the grids in Figure 5.94 and on them draw the displacements of the wire due to wave
X and wave Y.

Wave X Wave Y

A B A B

Figure 5.94.
(4)
(Total 6 marks)
5. This question is about wave properties and interference.
Figure 5.95 represents the direction of oscillation of a disturbance that gives rise to a wave.

Figure 5.95.
(a) Copy Figure 5.95, and add arrows to show the direction of wave energy transfer to illustrate
the difference between
(i) a transverse wave and (1)
(ii) a longitudinal wave. (1)

180
 A wave travels along a stretched string. Figure 5.96 shows the variation with distance along the
string of the displacement of the string at a particular instant in time. A small marker is attached
to the string at the point labelled M. The undisturbed position of the string is shown as a dotted
line.
direction of wave travel

Figure 5.96.
(b) Copy Figure 5.96 and on the diagram:
(i) draw an arrow to indicate the direction in which the marker is moving. (1)
(ii) indicate, with the letter A, the amplitude of the wave. (1)
(iii) indicate, with the letter λ , the wavelength of the wave. (1)
(iv) draw the displacement of the string a time 4T later, where T is the period of oscillation of
the wave. Indicate, with the letter N, the new position of the marker. (2)
The wavelength of the wave is 5.0 cm and its speed is 10 cm s−1.
(c) Determine
(i) the frequency of the wave. (1)
T
(ii) how far the wave has moved in 4
s. (2)
Interference of waves
(d) By reference to the principle of superposition, explain what is meant by constructive
interference. (4)
(Total 14 marks)
6. This question is about standing waves in pipes.
Figure 5.97 shows two pipes of the same length.
Pipe A is open at both ends and pipe B is closed at
one end.
(a) (i) Copy Figure 5.97 and on the diagrams draw
lines to represent the waveforms of the first
harmonic resonant note for each pipe. (2)
(ii) On each diagram, label the position of the
nodes with the letter N and the position of Pipe A Pipe B
the antinodes with the letter A. (2)
The frequency of the first harmonic note for pipe A Figure 5.97.
is 512 Hz.

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 05 Oscillations and waves

(b) (i) Calculate the length of the pipe A. (Speed of sound in air = 340 m s−1) (3)
(ii) Suggest why organ pipes designed to emit low frequency first harmonic notes
(e.g. frequency ≈ 32 Hz) are often closed at one end. (2)
(Total 9 marks)
7. This question is about polarized light.
(a) Distinguish between polarized and unpolarized light. (2)
(b) Figure 5.98 shows a beam of plane polarized light of intensity I0 incident on an analyser. The
direction of the beam is at right angles to the plane of the analyser.

transmission axis

plane of polarization

incident beam

analyser Figure 5.98.

The angle between the transmission axis of the analyser and the plane of polarization of the
light is θ. In the position shown the transmission axis of the analyser is parallel to the plane
of polarization of the light (θ = 0).
Copy the axes in Figure 5.99 and sketch a graph to show how the intensity I of the
transmitted light varies with θ as the analyser is rotated through 180°.

I0

0
0 θ Figure 5.99.
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

182
8. This question is about standing waves.
A string is attached between two rigid supports and is made to vibrate at its fundamental
frequency (first harmonic) f.
Figure 5.100 shows the displacement of the string at t = 0.

Figure 5.100.
(a) Copy Figure 5.101 and use it to draw the displacement of the string at times:
(i) t = 1
4f

Figure 5.101.
(1)

(ii) t = 1 (1)
2f
(b) The distance between the supports in Figure 5.100 is 1.0 m. A wave in the string travels
at a speed of 240 m s−1. Calculate the frequency of the vibration of the string. (2)
(c) An organ pipe that is open at one end has the same fundamental frequency as the string in
part (b). The speed of sound in air is 330 m s−1. Determine the length of the pipe. (2)
(Total 6 marks)

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