1 Which of the following gives the correct values of the 5 A sound wave pulse-echo technique can be used to find

used to find the

amplitude and wavelength for the wave shown? thickness of old railway lines. A probe emitted a sound pulse
into a steel rail and detected the echo. The pulse and its echo
are shown on the oscilloscope trace below.
- - ,

,- ... t- ... ... <

A A= 4cm; ,\ = 20cm
B A = 4 cm; ,\ = 40 cm t- ... ----I

C A = 8 cm; ,\ = 20 cm ~ ~ ..
D A = 8 cm; ,\ = 40 cm [1] Timebase
(Total for Question 1 = 1 mark)
\ \ I set at
I
.. I lOµs
r _,_

+
~
2 Which of the following has the lowest frequency?
~

per square
A 256Hz t- ~ t-

B Ultrasound
C Red light (A = 700 nm)
D Sea waves with a speed of 2.8 m s- 1 and a wavelength I
of 4.4 m [1] The sound waves used have a frequency of 3.8 MHz and the
(Total for Question 2 = 1 mark) speed of sound in this steel is 5900 m s- 1.
(a) Explain why the echo has a smaller amplitude than the
3 Which of these is a correct equation connecting wave emitted pulse. [2]
properties? (b) Calculate the thickness of this steel rail. [3]
A v=JA (Total for Question 5 = 5 marks)
f
B v=-
,\ 6 Frequencies below the audible range for humans are called
c A= l infrasound. Infrasound is produced by earthquakes.
f (a) Describe how sound waves travel through air. [3]
DJ=% [1] (b) State what is meant by frequency. [1]
(Total for Question 3 = 1 mark) (c) An infrasound wave has a wavelength of 1500 m and a
frequency of 2.0 Hz.
4 Sonar is a pulse-echo technique in which ships use sound Calculate the speed of infrasound in the ground. [2]
pulses to measure the depth of the sea. In seawater, the speed (d) In 2004, a huge earthquake produced a very large tidal
of sound is 1500 m s- 1. If the echo of a pulse is detected 0.87s wave which swept across the Indian Ocean towards Sri
after it is emitted, what is the depth of the sea at that point? Lanka. Many large animals in Sri Lanka moved away from
A 650m the coast before the tidal wave hit.
B 850m Suggest a reason for the animals behaving in this way. (2)
C 1300m (Total for Question 5 = 8 marks)
D 1700m [1]
7 A London radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 95.8 MHz.
(Total for Question 4 = 1 mark) Calculate the wavelength in the air of these radio waves. [3]
(Total for Question 7 = 3 marks)
 BASIC WAVES EXAM PRACTICE 99

8 (a) Ultrasound has a frequency above the limit of human (b) (i) Why does only one trace on the oscilloscope show
hearing. Ultrasound scanning can be used by doctors the sound wave? (1]
to obtain information about the internal structures of (ii) Describe how the student should change the
the human body without the need for surgery Pulses experimental set up in order to be able to measure
of ultrasound are sent into the body from a transmitter the speed of sound. (1]
placed on the skin. (iii) Explain how the student could use the new set up to
(i) The ultrasound used has a frequency of 4.5 MHz. find the speed of sound in air. Include measurements,
State why waves of this frequency are called experimental adjustments, how to analyse the results
ultrasound. (1] to find the speed of sound, and why they should also
(ii) A pulse of ultrasound enters the body and its remove the metal plate. (6]
reflection returns to the transmitter after a total time (c) With the frequency set at 3.7 kHz, the wavelength is
of 1.6 X 10-4 S. measured as 9.0 cm. Calculate the speed of sound in air. [2]
Calculate how far the reflecting surface is below (Total for Question 9 = 12 marks)
the skin.
Average speed of ultrasound in the body= lS00 ms- 1
(3]
(iii) State why the ultrasound is transmitted in pulses. (1]
(b) Another way of obtaining information about the internal
structures of the human body is by the use of X-rays.
(i) Give one property of X-rays which makes them more
hazardous to use than ultrasound. [ 1]
(ii) State two other differences between X-rays and
ultrasound. [2]
(Total for Question 8 = 8 marks)

9 The diagram shows an experiment with sound waves.

twin beam
signal oscilloscope
generator metal plate

loudspeaker

8
A loudspeaker is connected to a signal generator. A
microphone is connected to a twin beam oscilloscope. Sound
waves reach the microphone directly from the loudspeaker and
after reflection from the metal plate.
A student set up the apparatus as shown in an attempt to
measure the speed of sound by comparing the two traces
on the oscilloscope screen. However. only one of the traces
showed a sound wave whilst the other was a flat line.
(a) Describe and explain the difference in amplitude of the
sound waves reaching the microphone directly, and those
reaching it after reflection from the metal plate. [2]
1 What is the wavelength of the fundamental standing wave on 5 In a two-slit interference of light experiment, dark and light
a guitar string that is 74 cm long? fringes are observed on the screen in front of the two slits. What
A A. = 0.37 m can you say about the light waves arriving from the two slits at
any one of the dark fringes?
B A. = 0.74 m
A The light waves are constructively interfering.
C A. = 1.48m
B The light waves are go0 out of phase.
D A. = 2_g5m [1]
(Total for Question 1 = 1 mark) C The light waves travel the same path length from
each slit.
2 Which of the following is not caused by wave superposition? D The light waves are the same amplitude. [1]
A The fundamental note produced on a guitar string. (Total for Question 5 = 1 mark)
B Seismic P-waves cause surface damage before $-waves.
6 When oil floats on water, coloured interference patterns are
C Occasionally a theatre seat can be in a 'dead zone' where often seen. The interference patterns are formed because of the
little can be heard from the stage. thin film of oil. A thin film of oil can also produce interference
D CDs can have a rainbow appearance. [1] patterns with monochromatic light. The diagram shows light
(Total for Question 2 = 1 mark) from a monochromatic source, incident on a film of oil.
Explain why interference patterns may be seen. [5]
3 Which of these correctly represents the same phase position
in different units?
A go0 and 7T rad
B 180° and 7T rad
C 360° and 7T rad
D 180° and 2-rr rad [1]
(Total for Question 3 = 1 mark)
water

4 A student did experiments to show the diffraction of different (Total for Question 6 = 5 marks)
types of waves.
Which row in the table correctly shows the experiment that 7 In a school experiment, a laser is shone at right angles onto a
would show the greatest diffraction effect? diffraction grating to produce a pattern of light and dark spots
on a screen several metres away The grating is marked
Type of wave Wavelength / m Gap size / m '500 lines/mm'.
A water 0.02 0.10 (a) What is the distance between slits on the diffraction
B light 5.5 X 10-7 5.5 X 10-3 grating? [1]
C water 0.05 0.08 (b) If the first bright spot from the centre is found to be at an
D sound 3.0 1.5 [1] angle of 15° from the original direction of the laser beam,
what is the wavelength of the light? [2]
(Total for Question 4 = 1 mark)
(c) The laser is changed for a different one which has a
wavelength of 450 nm. How many orders of bright spot
will be generated by the diffraction grating? [3]
(Total for Question 7 = 6 marks)
 THE BEHAVIOUR OF WAVES EXAM PRACTICE 117

8 (a) A transverse wave travelling along a wire under tension has 9 (a) State what is meant by diffraction. [2]
a speed v given by (b) State the principle of superposition of waves. [2]
V = !fr (c) The photograph shows a beach in England. Waves can
be seen passing rocks on their way to the beach. The
where T is the tension in the wire and µ, is the mass per uneven surface of the sand has formed as a result of
unit length of the wire. diffraction and superposition of these waves.
Show that the units on both sides of the equation are
the same. [3]
(b) The diagram shows a wire held under tension by hanging
weights at one end and supported by a vibration generator
at the other end. T he frequency of the vibration generator
is slowly increased from zero until a standing wave is
formed.
+ - - - - - - - 2.0 m- - - - - - - . ,
vibration
generator

(i) Explain how the standing wave is produced. [3] (d) Use the ideas of diffraction and superposition to
(ii) Calculate the wavelength of the standing wave. [1] explain why the sand surface becom es uneven. [5]
(iii) The weight is 150 N and the m ass per unit length of (Total for Question 9 = 9 marks)
the wire is 0.0050 kg m- 1.
10 The diagram shows a metal wire held between fixed points
Using the equation given in (a), calculate the speed of
S and T
the transverse wave along the wire. [2]
(iv) The wire is o bserved as the frequency of the vibration
s-------------T
generator is steadily increased to several times the (a) Draw the wire vibrating in its fundamental mode. [2]
frequency that produced the first standing wave. (b) In part (a) the wire was vibrating at a frequency of
Describe and explain what is seen as the frequency 200 Hz. Draw the wire again, but now vibrating at a
is increased. [4] frequency of 600 Hz. (2]
(Total for Question 8 = 13 marks) (c) Explain why the wire sets up a stationary wave when
it is plucked. (4]
(Total for Question 10 = 8 marks)