Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.

2 Date: 10-11-2022

1. A source produces water waves of frequency 10 Hz. The graph shows the
variation with horizontal position of the vertical displacement of the surface of
water at one instant in time.

v ertical d isp la cem en t / c m

0 .4

00 1 .0 2 .0 3 .0 4 .0 h o rizo n tal p o sitio n / cm

– 0.4

The speed of the water waves is

A. 0.20 cm s−1. B. 4.0 cm s−1.
C. 10 cm s−1. D. 20 cm s−1.

2. Diagram 1 below shows the displacement of part of a medium through which a

wave is travelling at time t = 0. Diagram 2 shows the displacement at a later
time t = 4.0 s in which the wave has moved forward 10 cm. In this time, the
point P on the wave has moved from a crest through zero displacement to a
trough.
D iag ram 1 D iag ram 2

The wavelength of the wave is

A. 5.0 cm. B. 10 cm.
C. 20 cm. D. 40 cm.

3. The diagram below shows a transverse wave on a string. The wave is moving
from right to left.

d ire ctio n o f w av e

u p w ard s

left rig h t

d o w n w ard s

In the position shown, point X has zero displacement and point Y is at a position
of maximum displacement. Which one of the following gives the subsequent
direction of motion of point X and of point Y?
PSG/IBDP/Physics/AD/RM/KS 1
Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.2 Date: 10-11-2022

Point X Point Y
A. left left
B. upwards upwards
C. downwards left
D. downwards upwards

4. On which one of the following graphs is the wavelength λ and the amplitude a
of a wave correctly represented?
A. 
D isp la ce m en t

0
0 D istan c e a lo n g
a w ave

B. 
D isp la ce m en t

0
0 D istan c e a lo n g
a w ave

C. 
D isp la ce m en t

0
0 D istan c e a lo n g
a w ave

D. 
D isp la ce m en t

0
0 D istan c e a lo n g
a w ave

(1

5. A water surface wave (ripple) is travelling to the right on the surface of a lake.
The wave has period T. The diagram below shows the surface of the lake at a
particular instant of time. A piece of cork is floating in the water in the position
shown.

T
Which is the correct position of the cork a time 4 later?

PSG/IBDP/Physics/AD/RM/KS 2
Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.2 Date: 10-11-2022

co rk

A. B.

C. D.
(1)

6. A wave is travelling through a medium. The diagram shows the variation with
time t of the displacement d of a particle of the medium from t = 0 to t = 25 ms.

1 .5

1
d/c m
0 .5

0 0 5 10 15 20 25

– 0 .5 t/m s

–1

– 1 .5

Which of the following correctly gives the frequency and the amplitude of the
wave?

frequency / Hz amplitude / cm

A. 2.0 ´ 10–2 2.0

B. 2.0 ´ 10–2 1.0

C. 50 2.0

D. 50 1.0
(1)

7. This question is about wave properties and interference.

The diagram below represents the direction of oscillation of a disturbance that

gives rise to a wave.

PSG/IBDP/Physics/AD/RM/KS 3
Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.2 Date: 10-11-2022

(a) By redrawing the diagram in the spaces below, 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)

PSG/IBDP/Physics/AD/RM/KS 4
Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.2 Date: 10-11-2022

A wave travels along a stretched string. The diagram below 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.

D irectio ns of w av e trav el

(b) On the diagram above

(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)

T
(iv) draw the displacement of the string a time 4 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.

..............................................................................................................
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Pathways School Gurgaon Topic: 4.1 and 4.2 Date: 10-11-2022

.............
(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.

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(4)
(Total 14 marks)

PSG/IBDP/Physics/AD/RM/KS 6