Problem Set Unit 4.1.

1 Wave Fundamentals

Question 4
Theory Review Questions
Question 1 What is the amplitude?

A 2m
A mechanical wave can be best described as
B 3m
A the transmission of matter through a C 4m
medium without the net transfer of energy. D Unable to be determined from this graph
B the transmission of alternating electric and
magnetic fields without the net transfer of
matter. Question 5
C the transmission of energy through a
medium without the net transfer of matter. What is the wavelength?
D the transmission of energy through a
A 2m
vacuum without the net transfer of matter.
B 3m
C 4m
Question 2 D Unable to be determined from this graph

Which of the following is an example of a

Question 6
longitudinal wave?

A A horizontal spring undergoing vertical What is the period?

oscillations
A 2s
B A violin string being plucked
B 3s
C A sound from a speaker playing a song
through the air C 4s
D A water ripple D Unable to be determined from this graph

Question 3 Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a If a wave has a period of 0.2 seconds, what is the
transverse wave? frequency of the wave?

A A horizontal spring undergoing horizontal A 0.2 Hz

oscillations
B The air when a singer sings a note
C A whale song through water
D A wave on the surface of the ocean
Use the following information to answer
questions 4 – 6.
B 2 Hz
C 5 Hz
D 50 Hz
Question 8
A tap is dripping into a full bathtub. A drop of
water falls every 0.25 seconds, creating a circular
ripple when it hits the otherwise still bath. The
wavelength of the ripples is 3.0 cm. What is the
frequency of the water drops hitting the bath
water?

A 0.25 Hz
B 0.75 Hz
C 4.0 Hz
D 12 Hz

Question 9

The wave represented in the graph below is

moving to the right. In which direction does the
particle move at the instant shown: A, B, C or D?
Problem Set Unit 4.1.1 Wave Fundamentals

a For which particle (A, B, C or D) is this a

displacement-time graph? (1 mark)
b What is the period and frequency of the
sound? (2 marks)
c After the first 8 seconds, at what time will
the particle next have a displacement of
−0.2 cm? (2 marks)

Question 11 (6 marks)

The following graph relates to a transverse wave in

a string that is moving to the right. The
displacement is vertical.

Exam-Style Questions
Question 10 (5 marks)

The following graph shows the displacement of air

in front of a speaker at a time t=0 s. The sound
wave is moving to the right (increasing distance).
Four air particles are indicated on the graph below.

a In what direction (up, down, left, right) are

the particles located at A, B, C and D
moving at the instant shown? If a particle is
not moving, write ‘not moving’. (4 marks)
b What will be the distance and displacement
of particle A after another half period has
passed? (2 marks)

Question 12 (6 marks)

The following graph relates to a longitudinal wave

that is moving horizontally to the right. Take
A displacement-time graph of one of the particles displacement to the right as positive.
during the first 8 seconds of the sound is shown
below.
Problem Set Unit 4.1.1 Wave Fundamentals

a In what direction (up, down, left, right) are

the particles located at positions A, B, C and
D moving at the instant shown? If a particle
is not moving, write ‘not moving. (4 marks)
b What was the distance and displacement of
particle C on quarter period before this
graph was recorded? (2 marks)

Question 13 (2 marks)

Finn begins playing music out loud from his phone.

The air particle shown starts initially at rest 3 cm
away from the phone speaker. Finn’s music has a
frequency of 50 Hz.

The speed of sound is 340 m s -1. Describe the

resulting motion of this air particle in relation to its
initial position. a Which graph relates to the whole spring,
and which specifically relates to one point of
the spring? (1 mark)
b What is the amplitude of the wave? (1
mark)
c What is the wavelength of the wave? (1
mark)
d What is the period of the wave? (1 mark)
e What is the frequency of the wave? (1
Question 14 (2 marks)
mark)
f Draw a version of the displacement-distance
Dominique is singing a note with a period of 0.005 graph on quarter of a period later. (3
seconds. She finds that the note is flat (the marks)
frequency is to low).

Explain whether she should make the period of the Question 16 (3 marks)
note longer or shorter to correct her pitch.
The following graphs show the displacement of a
Question 15 (8 marks)
point a distance 10 cm from the end of an
oscillating string at three different times.
The two graphs that follow were generated from a
longitudinal wave in a spring that is travelling
horizontally to the right. Take displacement to the
right as positive.

a What is the wavelength of the wave in the

string? (1 mark)
b What is the lowest possible frequency for
the wave in the string? (2 marks)

Previous topics
Question 17 (3 marks)

Humanity is expanding throughout the universe to

nearby potentially habitable planets. One
spaceship of cosmic explorers is voyaging to
Proxima Centauri b, a planet 4.01 × 1016 m away
from Earth. The spaceship can travel at 0.90c.
Problem Set Unit 4.1.1 Wave Fundamentals

Calculate the time, in years, that the astronauts

will measure the journey to take.

Question 18 (3 marks)

A DC motor is set up using permanent magnets

and a split ring commutator. Before the motor is
switched on, the coil of the motor is stationary and
horizontal (as in the diagram). Explain why the coil
begins to rotate when the motor is turned on, and
in which direction.

Key science skills

Question 19 (3 marks)

Izzy and Emma are using a technique called

interferometry to each take 5 repeated
measurements of the wavelength of a laser that
has an actual wavelength of 695 nm.

Izzy takes the following measurements: 690 nm,

697 nm, 693 nm, 694 nm, 707 nm.

Emma takes the following measurements: 697 nm,

698 nm, 694 nm, 699 nm, 696 nm.

Identify and explain which set of results is more

accurate and which set is more precise.

The following diagram may assist you.