1

1 The diagram shows the two principal focuses F1 and F2 of a thin converging lens.

The diagram also shows an object O of height 1.2 cm placed close to the lens. Two rays from the
tip of the object O are incident on the lens.

(a) On the diagram, continue the paths of these two rays for a further distance of at least 5 cm.

[2]

(b) Using your answer to (a), find and mark on the diagram the image I of object O and label this
image. [2]

(c) Determine the height of image I.

height = .............................................. [1]

(d) State and explain whether I is a real image or a virtual image.

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 6]
 2

2 The diagram shows six wavefronts of a wave travelling on the surface of deep water. The wave is
incident on a boundary with a region where the water is shallow.

(a) (i) On the diagram, draw the wavefronts of the wave in the shallow water where the wave
travels more slowly.

[2]

(ii) The depth of the shallow water is now changed so that the speed of the wave in the
shallow water is 0.60 m / s. The speed of the wave in the deep water is 0.80 m / s.
The distance between successive wavefronts in the deep water is 1.4 cm.

Calculate the wavelength of the wave in the shallow water.

wavelength = ..................................................... [4]

[Total: 6]

3 The diagram represents wavefronts of a water wave on the surface of water approaching a gap in
a barrier.
 3

(a) The wavefronts to the right of the barrier spread out as far as the dashed lines in the diagram.

(i) State the name of the process of spreading out.

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) Draw four wavefronts to the right of the barrier.

[2]

(b) (i) State the effect of increasing the width of the gap in the barrier.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) State and explain the effect of decreasing the frequency of the water wave.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [2]

[Total: 6]

4 A wave travelling on the surface of water has a wavelength of 2.5 cm and a speed of 8.0 cm / s.
 4

(a) Calculate the frequency of the wave.

frequency = ................................................ [2]

(b) The wave in (a) approaches a barrier that has a large gap in its centre.

The diagram shows the crests of the wave viewed from above.

The gap in the barrier is larger than the wavelength λ.

On the diagram, draw the pattern formed by three crests after the wave passes through the
gap in the barrier.

[2]

(c) Water is added to the tank and the speed of a wave in the deeper water is greater than that
in the shallower water. The frequency of the wave remains constant but its wavelength is
different.

(i) State and explain how the wavelength in the deeper water has changed.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]
 5

(ii) Apart from the change in wavelength, describe one other difference in the pattern
formed by the crests after the wave passes through the gap.

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

[Total: 6]

5 The distance between the centre of a thin converging lens and each principal focus is 5.0 cm.

The lens is used as a magnifying glass to produce an image I of an object O.

The diagram is a full-scale diagram of the lens and the image I.

(a)
(i) On the diagram, mark both principal focuses and label each of them F.
[1]

(ii) By drawing on the diagram, find the position of object O and add object O to the diagram.
[3]

(b) Using the diagram, determine the distance of object O from the centre of the lens.

distance = .............................................. [1]

[Total: 5]

6 The diagram shows a converging lens and the image I formed when an object is placed to the left
of the lens. The principal focuses are labelled A and B and the centre of the lens is labelled C.
 6

(a) On the diagram, draw two rays to locate the position of the object. Draw the object and label
it O. [3]

(b) Ring all of the following distances that are equal to the focal length of the lens.

AB AC CB 2AB

[2]

[Total: 5]

7 The diagram shows a converging lens and the image I formed when an object is placed to the left
of the lens. The principal focuses are labelled A and B and the centre of the lens is labelled C.

(a) On the diagram, draw two rays to locate the position of the object. Draw the object and label
it O. [3]
 7

(b) Ring all of the following distances that are equal to the focal length of the lens.

AB AC CB 2AB

[2]

[Total: 5]

8 The diagram shows parallel wavefronts of a light wave in ice. The wavefronts are incident on a
boundary with air.

8
The speed of the light wave in air is 3.0 × 10 m / s. The refractive index of the ice is 1.3.

(a) On the diagram draw the wavefronts of the wave that passes into the air. [3]

(b) On the diagram draw arrows to show the direction of travel of the refracted wave. [1]

(c) On the diagram label the angle of incidence i and the angle of refraction r. [1]

[Total: 5]

9 The critical angle for a type of glass is 42°.

Diagram A and diagram B show two prisms ABC and PQR made of this type of glass. A ray of
monochromatic red light passes into each of the prisms.
 8

Diagram A Diagram B

(a) Describe and explain what happens to the ray of light in diagram A as it strikes side AC of the
prism.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) Describe and explain what happens to the ray of light in diagram B as it strikes the glass at
point Y.

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 5]

10 The diagram shows a section of an optical fibre in air. A ray of light is incident on the fibre wall
at X.
 9

(a) On the diagram, continue the path of the ray of light up to the end of the fibre. [1]

(b) The refractive index of the material of the fibre is 1.46. Calculate the critical angle of the material
of the fibre.

critical angle = .............................................. [2]

(c) State two uses of optical fibres.

1 ........................................................................................................................................

2 ........................................................................................................................................ [2]

[Total: 5]

11 A thin converging lens is used to produce an image I of object O.

The diagram shows O, I and the screen on which the image is produced.
 10

(a) On the diagram, draw a straight line to represent a ray from the tip of the arrowhead of O to
the tip of the arrowhead of I. Draw a vertical dotted line to indicate the position of the lens.
This dotted line must extend above and below the principal axis. [2]

(b) Draw a second ray from the tip of the object O to the tip of image I. This ray should pass
through a principal focus. Label the principal focus, F. [1]

(c) Determine the focal length of the lens.

focal length = .............................................. [1]

(d) Image I is further from the lens than object O is from the lens. Image I is described as enlarged
and inverted.

State and explain one other characteristic of I.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 5]

12 The figure is a ray diagram representing the formation of an image by a converging lens.

F1 and F2 are the two principal focuses of the lens. The object is at O and its image is at I.

(a) On the figure above,

(i) accurately mark the focal length of the lens and label it f, [2]

(ii) from the top of the object, draw the path of the ray that passes through F2, until it reaches
the image. [2]
 11

(b) Where would a screen need to be placed in order to see a focused image? Tick one box.

at F2

at C

at F1

at I
[1]

[Total: 5]

13 A lamp in a large room is suspended below a horizontal mirror that is fixed to the ceiling. The figure
is a scale diagram of the lamp and mirror.

reflecting surface of mirror

lamp

An image of the lamp is formed by the mirror.

(a) On the figure, draw two rays from the centre of the lamp that strike the mirror. Use these rays
to locate the image. Label the image I. [3]

(b) State two characteristics of this image.

1. ..................................................................................................................................

2. .................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 5]
 12

14 The diagram shows an object OB positioned 20 cm from a thin converging lens. Both principal
focuses of the lens are labelled F.

Two rays from the tip B of the object are incident on the lens, as shown in the diagram.

On the diagram, continue the paths of these two rays to show the position of the image of OB
formed by the lens. Draw an arrow to show the size, position and orientation of the image of OB.[4]

[Total: 4]

15 The diagram shows a ray of red light incident on one side of a glass prism in air.

For red light, the refractive index of glass is nR.

(a) The angle of incidence is 53° and the angle of refraction in the glass is 30°.
 13

(i) Calculate nR.

nR = .............................................. [2]

(ii) On the diagram, sketch a line to indicate the path of the red light when it emerges from
the glass prism. Label this path R. [1]

(b) For violet light, the refractive index nV of glass is slightly larger than nR.

A ray of violet light is incident on the prism along the same path as the ray of red light.

On the diagram, sketch a line to indicate the path of the violet light in the prism and when it
emerges into the air. Label this path V.

[1]

[Total: 4]

16 Light passes from a beaker of water into air.

(a) State the speed of light in air.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) The refractive index of water is 1.3.

Calculate the speed of light in water.

speed of light in water = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 4]
 14

17 (a) In the diagram, a converging lens projects a sharp image of an object O on to a screen.

Complete the paths of the two rays from the object to the screen.

[2]

(b) The converging lens in (a) is replaced with a thinner converging lens. The object O and the
screen remain in the same positions as in (a). The thinner converging lens has a longer focal
length than the converging lens in (a).

Complete the paths of the two rays from the object to the screen in the diagram.

[2]

[Total: 4]

18 Radio waves are a type of electromagnetic wave.

(a) State the speed of radio waves in air.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]
 15

(b) A radio station transmits radio waves with a frequency of 96 MHz.

Calculate the wavelength of these radio waves.

wavelength = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 4]

19 The diagram shows light approaching a boundary between two materials at speed v. The speed
of the light after crossing the boundary is 1.3 v.

(a) Determine the angle of incidence.

angle of incidence = .............................................. [1]

(b) Calculate the angle of refraction.

angle of refraction = .............................................. [3]

[Total: 4]
 16

20 Describe, with a labelled diagram, an experiment using water waves that shows the reflection of
wavefronts that occurs at a straight barrier.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [4]

[Total: 4]

21 Diagram A shows wavefronts approaching a gap in a barrier.

diagram A

(a) On diagram A, draw three wavefronts to the right of the barrier.

[2]
 17

(b) Diagram B shows the gap in the barrier increased to five times the gap in diagram A.

diagram B

On diagram B, draw three wavefronts to the right of the barrier.

[2]

[Total: 4]

22 A candle is placed in front of a plane mirror. An image of the candle is formed in the mirror.

Circle the words from the list that describe the image of the candle.

enlarged diminished same size upside-down upright

[2]

[Total: 2]

23 The chart in the diagram shows the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Two of the regions are not labelled.

visible radio
........................ X-rays ....................... infrared microwaves
light waves

(a) Complete the labelling in the diagram. [2]

(b) Compare the speed of radio waves and visible light. Complete the sentence.

In a vacuum, radio waves travel ................................................................ visible light. [1]

[Total: 3]

24 The diagram shows a ray of red light striking one side of a glass prism.
 18

air air

red light
glass

(a) On the diagram, draw a line to indicate the path of the red light travelling through the glass
prism and emerging into the air. [2]

(b) Explain why the red light follows the path you have drawn in (a).

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 3]

25 The diagram shows a ray of light striking a plane mirror.

plane
mirror
O

ray of light
B

(a) State the name of the dashed line OB in the diagram.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) On the diagram, indicate the angle of reflection by drawing an X. [1]

(c) State the law of reflection.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 3]
 19

26 The red light produced by a laser is monochromatic.

The red light from the laser hits the curved surface of a semicircular transparent plastic block at
point P and passes into the plastic.

The red light travels through the plastic and hits the straight edge of the block at its midpoint M.
The diagram shows that some of the light is reflected and that some light travels in the air along
the straight edge of the plastic block.

laser
reflected light

P
red light
plastic block

37°

8
The speed of light in air is 3.0 × 10 m / s.

At M, the angle between the red light in the plastic and the normal is 37°.

Calculate the speed of the red light in the plastic.

speed = .................................................... [4]

[Total: 4]
 20

27 The red light produced by a laser is monochromatic.

The red light from the laser hits the curved surface of a semicircular transparent plastic block at
point P and passes into the plastic.

The red light travels through the plastic and hits the straight edge of the block at its midpoint M.
The diagram shows that some of the light is reflected and that some light travels in the air along
the straight edge of the plastic block.

laser
reflected light

P
red light
plastic block

37°

In the plastic, blue light travels slightly slower than red light and so the critical angle for blue light
is smaller than the critical angle for red light.

The laser that emits red light is replaced by one that emits blue light. Now blue light enters the block
at P and hits the straight edge at M.

Explain what happens to the blue light after it hits the straight edge at M.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [3]

[Total: 3]

28 The diagram shows a heater in a bathroom.

 21

heater

The heater is at a very high temperature and it glows red. The manufacturer states:

“The heater emits light and radiation and it transfers thermal energy by radiation.”

(a) State the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that transfers thermal energy.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) State:

(i) one way in which visible light and the radiation identified in (a) are similar

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

(ii) one way in which visible light differs from the radiation identified in (a).

................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................ [1]

[Total: 3]

29 This question is about the following four types of wave.

infrared microwaves ultrasound radio waves

Answer the questions, choosing words from this list.

 22

(a) State which of the types of wave are electromagnetic.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) State which type of electromagnetic wave has the longest wavelength.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 2]

30 A diver is swimming under water. She uses a torch emitting red light. The diagram shows three
rays of red light coming from the torch.

air

water
20° 40° 60°

diver

torch

The critical angle for red light travelling from water into air is 48°.

(a) State the meaning of the term critical angle.

...........................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................... [2]

(b) On the diagram, draw the path of each ray after it reaches the water–air boundary. [3]

[Total: 5]
 23

31 The water waves travel from deep water into shallow water. The water waves have a lower speed
in the shallow water.

The diagram shows wavefronts for the waves in deep water to the left of the boundary.

wavefronts deep water boundary

wave
direction

shallow water

(a) On the diagram, complete three wavefronts for the waves in shallow water to the right of the
boundary. [2]

(b) State the term for the process at the boundary in the diagram.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 3]

32 The diagram shows the displacement of particles in a water wave.

2.0
displacement / cm

1.0

0
4.0 8.0 12.0 16.0 20.0 24.0
distance / cm

–1.0

–2.0

Using the information in the diagram, determine:

 24

(a) the wavelength of the wave

wavelength = .............................................. cm [1]

(b) the amplitude of the wave.

amplitude = .............................................. cm [1]

[Total: 2]

33 Describe the difference between the vibrations of longitudinal waves and transverse waves.

..................................................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

34 The diagram shows an object OX to the left of a thin converging lens. The principal focus on each
side of the lens is labelled F.

O
F F

(a) Two rays from the top of the object are incident on the lens, as shown in the diagram.

On the diagram, continue the paths of these two rays to show the position of the image of OX
formed by the lens. [2]

(b) Draw the image of OX formed by the lens. [1]

 25

[Total: 3]

35 Describe one use of X-rays in medicine.

..................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................. [2]

[Total: 2]

36 The diagram is a full-size ray diagram showing the formation of an image by a thin glass lens.

(full size)

Circle three items in the list which describe the nature of the image formed.

enlarged same size diminished inverted

upright real virtual

[3]

[Total: 3]

37 The diagram shows crests of a plane water wave in deep water approaching a region of shallow
water.
 26

boundary

direction of travel
of water wave

deep shallow
water water

The water wave moves more slowly in shallow water.

(a) On the diagram draw three crests of the water wave in the shallow water. [2]

(b) On the diagram draw the direction of travel of the wave in the shallow water. [1]

[Total: 3]
 27

38 The diagram shows a plan view of a room. There is a plane mirror on one wall and a picture across
the whole of wall AB.

plane mirror
A

X
B

(plan view)

A person is standing at point X and is looking at the mirror. The person cannot see all of the picture
on wall AB reflected in the mirror.

There is a point P on wall AB which is the closest point to A that the person can see reflected in
the mirror.

On the diagram, draw a reflected ray and an incident ray to show the position of the point P. [2]

[Total: 2]
 28

39 The diagram shows crests of a plane water wave approaching a barrier with a gap.

crests barrier

direction of travel
of water wave

On the diagram, draw three crests of the water wave to the right of the barrier. [2]

[Total: 2]

40 The diagram is a full-size ray diagram showing the formation of an image by a thin glass lens.

(full size)

Determine the focal length of the lens.

focal length = .............................................. [1]

[Total: 1]