NAME:____________________________________________

WAVES

1. The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement x of a particle undergoing
simple harmonic motion.

Which graph correctly shows the variation with time t of the acceleration a of the particle?

2. A transverse travelling wave has amplitude A0 and wavelength λ.

The distance between a crest and its neighbouring trough, measured in the direction of energy
transfer of the wave is equal to

A. A0.

B. 2A0.


C. .
2

D. λ.

1
3. One end of a long string is vibrated at a constant frequency f. A travelling wave of wavelength 
and speed v is set up on the string.

The frequency of vibration is doubled but the tension in the string is unchanged. Which of the
following shows the wavelength and speed of the new travelling wave?

Wavelength Speed
λ
A. v
2
λ
B. 2v
2
C. 2 v

D. 2 2v

4. 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.

vertical displacement / cm
0.4

00 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 horizontal position / 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.

5. A source of sound is placed near the open end of a cylindrical tube that lies on a horizontal
table. The tube has some powder sprinkled along its length. The powder collects in piles along
the length of the tube as shown below.

source of sound d

The distance between two consecutive piles of powder is d and the speed of sound in the tube is
v. The frequency of the source is

2
 v
A. .
2d

v
B. .
d

C. dv.

D. 2dv.

6. The diagram shows the variation with distance x along a wave with its displacement d.

The wave is travelling in the direction shown.

direction of travel
d

The period of the wave is T. Which one of the following diagrams shows the displacement of
T
the wave at later?
4

A. B.
d d

x x

C. D.
d d

x x

3
7. On which one of the following graphs is the wavelength λ and the amplitude a of a wave
correctly represented?

A. 
Displacement

0
0 Distance along
a wave

B. 
Displacement

0
0 Distance along
a wave

C. 
Displacement

0
0 Distance along
a wave

D. 
Displacement

0
0 Distance along
a wave

4
8. 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/cm
0.5

00 5 10 15 20 25

–0.5 t/ms

–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

9. Graph P shows how the displacement at one point in a wave varies with time.

Graph Q shows how the displacement in the same wave varies with distance along the wave at
one particular time.

5
 Graph P

displacement

0
0 t1 t2 time

Graph Q

displacement

0
0 x1 x2 x3 distance

Which one of the following expressions gives the speed of the wave?

x1
A.
t1

x2
B.
t2

(x 2 − x1 )
C.
(t 2 − t1 )
(x3 − x1 )
D.
(t 2 − t1 )

10. The wavelength of a progressive transverse wave is defined as

A. the distance between a crest and its neighbouring trough.

B. the distance between any two crests of the wave.

C. the distance moved by a wavefront during one oscillation of the source.

D. the distance moved by a particle in the wave during one oscillation of the source.

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PAPER 2

1. Wave properties

(a) By reference to the energy of a travelling wave, state what is meant by

(i) a ray.

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

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) wave speed.

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

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement xA of wave A as it
passes through a point P.

Wave A
3.0

2.0

1.0

xA / mm 0.0
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 t / ms
–1.0

–2.0

–3.0

The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement xB of wave B as it
passes through point P.

Wave B

2.0

1.0

xB / mm 0.0
0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0 t / ms
–1.0

–2.0

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 (i) Calculate the frequency of the waves.

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

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) The waves pass simultaneously through point P. Use the graphs to determine the
resultant displacement at point P of the two waves at time t = 1.0 ms and at time t =
8.0 ms.

At t = 1.0 ms: ...............................................................................................

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

At t = 8.0 ms: ...............................................................................................

...............................................................................................
(3)

2. This question is about waves.

(a) With reference to the direction of energy transfer through a medium, distinguish between
a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.

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

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(3)

(b) A wave is travelling along the surface of some shallow water in the x-direction. The
graph shows the variation with time t of the displacement d of a particle of water.

8
d / mm 10

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
–2 t/s

–4

–6

–8

–10

Use the graph to determine for the wave

(i) the frequency,

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) the amplitude.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) The speed of the wave in (b) is 15 cm s–1. Deduce that the wavelength of this wave is
2.0 cm.

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

(d) The graph in (b) shows the displacement of a particle at the position x = 0.

On the axes below, draw a graph to show the variation with distance x along the water
surface of the displacement d of the water surface at time t = 0.070 s.

9
 d / mm 10

0
0 1 2 3 4 x/cm
–2

–4

–6

–8

–10
(3)

3. This question is about wave phenomena.

(a) The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement x of one particle in a
sound wave.

x/mm 0.3

0.2

0.1

0.00.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6

–0.1 t/ms

–0.2

–0.3

The speed of the wave is 380 m s–1.

(i) Suggest, by marking the letter C on the t-axis of the graph above, one time at which
the particle could be at the centre of a compression.
(1)

(ii) Deduce the wavelength of the wave.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

4. Travelling waves

(a) Graph 1 below shows the variation with time t of the displacement d of a travelling
(progressive) wave. Graph 2 shows the variation with distance x along the same wave of
its displacement d.

Graph 1 4
d / mm
2

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
t/s
–2

–4

Graph 2 4
d / mm
2

0
0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 2.0 2.4
x / cm
–2

–4

(i) Use the graphs to determine the amplitude, wavelength, frequency and speed of the
wave.

Amplitude: .................................................................................................
(1)

Wavelength: .................................................................................................
(1)

Frequency: .................................................................................................

.................................................................................................
(1)

Speed: .................................................................................................

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

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5. Simple harmonic motion and the greenhouse effect

(a) A body is displaced from equilibrium. State the two conditions necessary for the body to
execute simple harmonic motion.

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

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

2. .........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) In a simple model of a methane molecule, a hydrogen atom and the carbon atom can be
regarded as two masses attached by a spring. A hydrogen atom is much less massive than
the carbon atom such that any displacement of the carbon atom may be ignored.

The graph below shows the variation with time t of the displacement x from its
equilibrium position of a hydrogen atom in a molecule of methane.

The mass of hydrogen atom is 1.7  10–27 kg. Use data from the graph above

(i) to determine its amplitude of oscillation.

.........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) to show that the frequency of its oscillation is 9.1  1013 Hz.

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

.........................................................................................................................
(2)

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 (c) Copy the grid below, sketch a graph to show the variation with time t of the speed v of the
hydrogen atom for one period of oscillation starting at t = 0. (There is no need to add
values to the speed axis.)

(3)

6. This question is about waves and wave motion.

(a) Describe, by reference to the propagation of energy, what is meant by a transverse wave.

Transverse wave
(2)

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

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

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

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

(b) State one example, other than a wave on a string, of a transverse wave.

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

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A transverse wave is travelling along a string that is under tension. The diagram below shows
the displacement of part of the string at time t = 0. The dotted line shows the position of the
string when there is no wave travelling along it.

displacement / cm

distance along string / cm

5.0 15 25 35 45

(c) Copy the diagram above, draw lines to identify for this wave

(i) the amplitude (label this A);

(1)

(ii) the wavelength (label this λ).

(1)

(d) The period of the wave is 1.2 × 10–3 s. Deduce that the speed of the wave is 250 m s–1.

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

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

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

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

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)

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7. This question is about sound waves.

A sound wave of frequency 660 Hz passes through air. The variation of particle displacement
with distance along the wave at one instant of time is shown below.

0.5

displacement / mm 00 distance / m
1.0 2.0

–0.5

(a) State whether this wave is an example of a longitudinal or a transverse wave.

.....................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Using data from the above graph, deduce for this sound wave,

(i) the wavelength.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the amplitude.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) the speed.

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 5 marks)

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