1 (a) Two students are measuring the speed of sound.

The students are provided with a starting pistol, a stopwatch and a long measuring tape. The
starting pistol, when fired, produces a loud sound and a puff of smoke at the same instant.

Describe how the students use the apparatus and how they calculate the speed. You may
draw a diagram.

Distance in field measured with the tape

...........................................................................................................................................
One student fires pistol at one end (of this distance)
...........................................................................................................................................
Student at other end starts stop-watch on seeing smoke/ light
from pistol
...........................................................................................................................................
stops stop-watch on hearing sound of pistol
...........................................................................................................................................
speed = (measured) distance/(measured) time
...........................................................................................................................................

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

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

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

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

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

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
(b) A device at the bottom of the sea emits a sound wave of frequency 200 Hz.

(i) The speed of sound in sea-water is 1500 m / s.

Calculate the wavelength of the sound in sea-water.

v=f
1500 m/s = 200 Hz*
1500 m/s/200 Hz=
=7.5 m

7.5 m
wavelength = ................................................................. [2]

(ii) The sound wave passes from the sea-water into the air.

State what happens, if anything, to

Does not change
• the frequency of the sound, ...............................................................................

................................................................................................................................
Slows down
• the speed of the sound. .....................................................................................

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

[2]

[Total: 8]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
2 (a) Fig. 6.1 represents the waveform of a sound wave. The wave is travelling at constant speed.

displacement
of particles

distance
along wave

Fig. 6.1

(i) On Fig. 6.1,

1. label with the letter X the marked distance corresponding to the amplitude of the
wave, [1]

2. label with the letter Y the marked distance corresponding to the wavelength of the
wave. [1]

(ii) State what happens to the amplitude and the wavelength of the wave if

1. the loudness of the sound is increased at constant pitch,

increases
amplitude ...................................................................................................................
stays the same
wavelength .................................................................................................................
[1]

2. the pitch of the sound is increased at constant loudness.

stays the same
amplitude ...................................................................................................................
decreases
wavelength .................................................................................................................
[1]

(b) A ship uses pulses of sound to measure the depth of the sea beneath the ship. A sound pulse
is transmitted into the sea and the echo from the sea-bed is received after 54 ms. The speed
of sound in seawater is 1500 m / s.

Calculate the depth of the sea beneath the ship.

40.5 m
depth = ...........................................................[3]

[Total: 7]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
3 (a) A sound wave in air consists of alternate compressions and rarefactions along its path.
(i) Explain how a compression differs from a rarefaction.
A compression is a region of high pressure where the molecules are closest together, unlike a
...........................................................................................................................................
rarefaction which is a region of low pressure where the molecules are furthest apart.

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

(ii) Explain, in terms of compressions, what is meant by

1. the wavelength of the sound,

the distance between two successive compressions.
....................................................................................................................................

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

2. the frequency of the sound.

the number of compressions emitted per unit time
....................................................................................................................................

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

(b) At night, bats emit pulses of sound to detect obstacles and prey. The speed of sound in air is
340 m / s.

(i) A bat emits a pulse of sound of wavelength 0.0085 m.

Calculate the frequency of the sound.

v=f
340/0.0085=f

40 000 Hz
frequency = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) State why this sound cannot be heard by human beings.

It is greater than the frequency threshold for normal human hearing (20 000 Hz) and thereby
...........................................................................................................................................
ultrasound.

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

(iii) The pulse of sound hits a stationary object and is reflected back to the bat. The pulse is
received by the bat 0.12 s after it was emitted.

Calculate the distance travelled by the pulse of sound during this time.

v=d/t
340=d/0.12
d=340x0.12
40.8 m
distance = ...........................................................[2]

[Total: 8]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
4 A sound wave, travelling in air, approaches a solid barrier with a gap in the middle. Fig. 6.1
represents the compressions and rarefactions of the sound wave. The compressions are labelled
A, B and C.

barrier
A B C

compression

rarefaction

Fig. 6.1

(a) State how a compression differs from a rarefaction.

A compression is a region of high pressure where the molecules are closest together whereas a
...................................................................................................................................................
rarefaction is a region of low pressure where the molecules are further apart.

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

(b) The speed of sound in air is 340 m / s. The frequency of the sound is 850 Hz.

For this wave, determine

(i) the wavelength,

v=f
340=850*
=340/850
0.4 m
wavelength = ...........................................................[2]

(ii) the time that elapses before compression A reaches the barrier.

v=d/t
340=0.4/t
t=0.4/340
= 0.00117x2.5 2.9x10^-3
=0.0029 time = ...........................................................[2]

(c) On Fig. 6.1, draw the shape and positions of compressions B and C as compression A
reaches the barrier. [2]

(d) Sound waves can also travel in water.

State how the speed of sound in water compares with the speed of sound in air.
It is greater than 340 m/s
...............................................................................................................................................[1]
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com [Total: 8]
5 A dolphin produces a sound wave in water of frequency 7800 Hz.

Fig. 6.1 represents rarefactions of the sound wave travelling in the water and hitting the side of a
wooden ship at an angle.

water wood
A B

direction of wave travel

rarefactions

Fig. 6.1

(a) State what is meant by a rarefaction.

A region of low pressure where the molecules are further apart.
...................................................................................................................................................

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

(b) On Fig. 6.1, two rarefactions A and B are labelled. The distance between rarefaction A and
rarefaction B is 0.76 m.

Determine

(i) the wavelength in water of the sound wave,

0.76/4
=0.19 m

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

(ii)
the time taken for the rarefaction at A to reach the point where rarefaction B is now
positioned.
v=f
v=7800x0.19
=1482 m/s
v=d/t
1482 m/s = 0.76/t time = ...........................................................[2]
t=0.76/1482
t=0.0005
PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (c) The sound wave passes from the water into the wood where the speed of sound is greater.

State what happens to

(i) the frequency,

It remains unchanged
.......................................................................................................................................[1]

(ii) the wavelength.

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

(d) On Fig. 6.1, sketch the positions in the wood of the three incomplete rarefactions. [2]

[Total: 8]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
6 (a) Draw a straight line from each quantity on the left-hand side to a speed on the right-hand side
which is typical for that quantity.

30 m / s

300 m / s
speed of sound in gas

3000 m / s

speed of sound in solid

30 000 m / s

300 000 m / s
[2]

(b) Explain why sound waves are described as longitudinal.

particles vibrate in the direction of the travel of the wave
...................................................................................................................................................

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

(c) Fig. 8.1 shows how the displacement of air molecules, at an instant of time, varies with
distance along the path of a sound wave.

displacement

0
0 distance along path
of sound wave

Fig. 8.1

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com
 (i) On Fig. 8.1, sketch two cycles of a sound wave that has a shorter wavelength and a
greater amplitude. [2]

(ii) State two changes in the sound heard from this wave compared with the original wave.
Louder
1. .......................................................................................................................................
Higher pitch
2. .......................................................................................................................................
[2]

[Total: 8]

PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com