1
1 mark
1 markA teacher measures the speed of water waves in a ripple tank.
What apparatus should she use?
Ammeter and stopwatch
Newton-meter and ruler
Ruler and protractor
Ruler and stopwatch
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Wave Behaviour (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway))
Exam Questions
2 hours21 questions21 mark
Which diagram shows reflection of a light ray using a plane mirror?
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31 mark
Which light ray shows the correct reflection from the plane (flat) mirror?
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41 mark
A light ray passes from air into glass.
Which diagram shows the refraction of this light ray?
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51 mark
Look at the diagram of a wave.
What is the wavelength of the wave?
2 cm
3 cm
4 cm
6 cm
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61 mark
A longitudinal wave passes through a slinky spring.
The coils of the spring vibrate backwards and forwards.
The diagram shows a snapshot of the position of the coils as the wave passes along the spring.
Which pair of coils are one wavelength apart?
W and X
W and Z
X and Y
Y and Z
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71 mark
Which wave travels as a longitudinal wave?
Light from a torch
Ripples from a stone dropped in water
Sound from a loudspeaker
Ultra-violet from the Sun
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81 mark
Six wave peaks hit a wall in one minute.
Determine the frequency of the waves.
0.1 Hz
6 Hz
10 Hz
360 Hz
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91 mark
A sound wave travels in air and enters water.
What happens to the sound wave as it enters the water?
| Speed | Frequency | Wavelength |
A | decreases | decreases | decreases |
B | decreases | stays the same | decreases |
C | increases | increases | increases |
D | increases | stays the same | increases |
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101 mark
The table contains descriptions of wavelength and frequency.
Which row in the table is correct?
| Wavelength | Frequency |
A | Distance between a peak and its neighbouring trough. | Number of waves that go past a point in a second. |
B | Distance between neighbouring peaks. | Number of waves that go past a point in a second. |
C | Distance between neighbouring troughs. | Time period in seconds. |
D | Height of the wave. | Number of waves produced. |
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111 mark
Look at the diagrams of a light ray as it passes from air through a glass block.
Which diagram shows an incorrect refraction?
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121 mark
A radio wave has a wavelength of 100 m. It has a speed of 3 × 108 m/s.
Use the equation: Wave speed = Frequency × Wavelength
Calculate the frequency of the wave.
3 MHz
30 MHz
300 MHz
3000 MHz
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131 mark
A sound wave travels from water into air.
Its wavelength in air is shorter than in water.
How do the frequency and speed of the wave in air compare with their values in water?
| Frequency in air | Speed in air |
A | higher | slower |
B | higher | same |
C | same | slower |
D | same | same |
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141 mark
Higher Tier Only
The maximum frequency of sound that a person can hear changes as they get older.
Which row in the table explains this change?
| Maximum frequency of sound a person can hear | what part of the ear is damaged? |
A | Decreases with age | Cochlea |
B | Decreases with age | Eardrum |
C | Increases with age | Cochlea |
D | Increases with age | Eardrum |
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