Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

|

Transverse & Longitudinal Waves (CIE AS Physics)

Exam Questions

58 mins19 questions
1
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1 mark

The following statements are about waves. 

1

Waves can travel through free space

2

Waves can be polarised

3

Waves have a frequency inversely proportional to their wavelength

4

Waves have an intensity proportional to their amplitude

 Which ones would apply to both sound and light waves?

  • 3 only

  • 4 only

  • 1 and 4 

  • 1 and 2

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2
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1 mark

Ultraviolet waves have an order of magnitude of the frequency of the longest-wavelength of 10x Hz.

What is the value of x ?

  • 19

  • 17

  • 16

  • 13

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3
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1 mark

Which of the following statements shows that sound waves are longitudinal?

  • sound is diffracted around corners

  • sound is refracted as it passes from hot air to cold air

  • sound cannot be polarised

  • sound can be reflected from a solid surface

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4
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1 mark

Fig 1.1 shows a longitudinal wave.

cie-7-2-mcq-easy-q5

Fig. 1.1

Which label correctly shows the wavelength of a longitudinal wave?

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    5
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    1 mark

    Which pair contains one transverse and one longitudinal wave?

    A.

    Water wave

    Visible light

    B.

    X-ray

    Ultrasound

    C.

    Primary (P) wave 

    Sound wave

    D.

    Infrared wave

    Vibration on a guitar string

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      1
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      1 mark

      Sound travels with a speed of 330 m s–1 in air. The variation with time of the displacement of an air particle due to a sound wave is shown below.

      cie-ial-images321png

      Which of the following statements about the wave is correct?

      • the wavelength of the sound wave is 1.32 m

      • the graph shows that the sound is a transverse wave

      • the frequency of the wave is 500 Hz

      • the intensity of the wave will be doubled if its amplitude is increased to 0.4 mm

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      2
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      1 mark

      A wave is travelling through a medium at 24 m s–1 with a frequency of 15 Hz.

      What is the phase difference between two points 2 m apart?

      • They are out of phase by half a cycle.

      • There is no phase difference.

      • They are out of phase by a quarter of a cycle.

      • They are out of phase by 0.8 of a cycle.

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      3
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      1 mark

      What is the frequency, amplitude and period of the wave shown in the graph below, to 2 significant figures?

      cie-ial-images331png

       

      Period / s

      Frequency / Hz

      Amplitude / m

      A

      B

      C

      D

      0.0042

      0.0035

      0.0031

      0.0027

      240

      290

      320

      290

      0.013

      0.0065

      0.013

      0.0065

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        4
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        1 mark

        The graph shows the displacement of a sound wave over time.

        cie-ial-images333png 

        When the intensity of the wave is halved, which graph shows the correct displacement of the wave ?

        cie-ial-physics-images-7-1-m-q9-answer

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          1
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          1 mark

          The graph shows two waves P and Q.

          cie-ial-images338png

          Wave P has an amplitude of 8 cm and a frequency 100 Hz.

           What is the amplitude and the frequency of wave Q?

           

          Amplitude / cm

          Frequency / Hz

          A

          B

          C

          D

          4

          4

          2

          2

          300

          33

          300

          33

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            2
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            1 mark

            The graph below shows two sound waves, the sound wave is a series of moving pressure variations.

            cie-ial-images339png

            Wave 1 has an intensity of 1.6 × 10–6 W m–2, what is the intensity of wave 2 ?

            • 3.6 × 10–6 W m–2

            • 2.4 × 10–6 W m–2

            • 3.0 × 10–6 W m–2

            • 4.5 × 10–6 W m–2

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            3
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            1 mark

            Fig 1.1 shows a displacement-distance graph of a transverse wave at t = 0 s. The wave is travelling at 64 ms-1.The wave is travelling at 64 ms-1. Particle R is marked at a position of 0.2 m. 

            cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q3

            Fig. 1.1

            What would be the phase difference between the position of Particle R at t = 0 s and t = 0.034 s?

            • 7.0°

            • 49°

            • 100°

            • 260°

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            4
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            1 mark

            A source emits a sound wave and moves away from an observer at a speed of 85 m s-1. Fig 1.1 shows the displacement-distance graph of the sound wave at the source.

            75kUAiIF_cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q4

            Fig. 1.1

            What is the observed frequency of the sound wave?

            The speed of sound, v = 340 ms-1

            • 1300 Hz

            • 1400 Hz

            • 1700 Hz

            • 2100 Hz

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            5
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            Fig 1.1 shows two longitudinal waves, wave A and wave B, over time t. Wave A has an intensity of IA.

            cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q5-cie-ial-physics

            Fig. 1.1

            Assuming both waves have equal amplitude, what is the intensity of wave B?

            • 1 fourth I subscript A

            • 1 half I subscript A

            • 2 I subscript A

            • 4 I subscript A

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