Waves

Exam Style Questions

57 Marks
My mark = ____/57 = ________%

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EBI

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Q1.Which of the following is correct for a stationary wave?

A Between two nodes the amplitude of the wave is constant.

B The two waves producing the stationary wave must always be 180° out of
phase.

C The separation of the nodes for the second harmonic is double the
separation of nodes for the first harmonic.

D Between two nodes all parts of the wave vibrate in phase.

(Total 1 mark)

Q2.Sound waves cross a boundary between two media X and Y. The frequency of the waves in X is
400 Hz. The speed of the waves in X is 330 m s–1 and the speed of the waves in Y is 1320 m s–
1. What are the correct frequency and wavelength in Y?

Frequency / Hz Wavelength / m

A 100 0.82

B 400 0.82

C 400 3.3

D 1600 3.3

(Total 1 mark)

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Q3.The diagram shows two pulses on a string travelling towards each other.

Which of the following diagrams shows the shape of the string when the pulses have passed
through each other?

(Total 1 mark)

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Q4.Figure 1 shows a ray of light A incident at an angle of 60° to the surface of a layer of oil that is
floating on water.

refractive index of oil = 1.47

refractive index of water = 1.33

Figure 1

(a) (i) Calculate the angle of refraction θ in Figure 1.

angle ................................ degrees

(2)

(ii) Calculate the critical angle for a ray of light travelling from oil to water.

angle ................................ degrees

(2)

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 (iii) On Figure 1 continue the path of the ray of light A immediately after it strikes the
boundary between the oil and the water.

(2)

(b) In Figure 2 a student has incorrectly drawn a ray of light B entering the glass and then
entering the water before totally internally reflecting from the water–oil boundary.

Figure 2

The refractive index of the glass is 1.52 and the critical angle for the glass–water
boundary is about 60°.

Give two reasons why the ray of light B would not behave in this way. Explain your
answers.

reason 1 ........................................................................................................

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explanation .....................................................................................................

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 reason 2 ........................................................................................................

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explanation .....................................................................................................

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(4)

(Total 10 marks)

Q5.An optical fibre consists of a core, cladding and an outer sheath.

(a) State the purpose of the outer sheath in an optical fibre.

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(1)

(b) For one fibre, the speed of monochromatic light in the core is 1.97 × 108 m s−1 and the
speed in the cladding is 2.03 × 108 m s−1.

Calculate the critical angle for this light at the interface between the core and the cladding.

critical angle ....................................... degrees

(2)

(Total 3 marks)

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Q6.(a) Musical concert pitch has a frequency of 440 Hz.
A correctly tuned A-string on a guitar has a first harmonic (fundamental frequency) two
octaves below concert pitch.

Determine the first harmonic of the correctly tuned A-string.

frequency................................................. Hz

(1)

(b) Describe how a note of frequency 440 Hz can be produced using the correctly tuned A-
string of a guitar.

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(1)

(c) Describe the effect heard when notes of frequency 440 Hz and 430 Hz of similar
amplitude are sounded together.

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(2)

(Total 4 marks)

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Q7.The diagram shows Young’s double-slit experiment performed with a tungsten filament lamp as
the light source.

(a) On the axes in the diagram above, sketch a graph to show how the intensity varies with
position for a monochromatic light source.

(2)

(b) (i) For an interference pattern to be observed the light has to be emitted by two
coherent sources.
Explain what is meant by coherent sources.

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(1)

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 (ii) Explain how the use of the single slit in the arrangement above makes the light from
the two slits sufficiently coherent for fringes to be observed.

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(1)

(iii) In this experiment light behaves as a wave.

Explain how the bright fringes are formed.

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(3)

(c) (i) A scientist carries out the Young double-slit experiment using a laser that emits
violet light of wavelength 405 nm. The separation of the slits is 5.00 × 10–5 m.

Using a metre ruler the scientist measures the separation of two adjacent bright
fringes in the central region of the pattern to be 4 mm.

Calculate the distance between the double slits and the screen.

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 distance = ................................................. m

(2)

(ii) Describe the change to the pattern seen on the screen when the violet laser is
replaced by a green laser. Assume the brightness of the central maximum is the
same for both lasers.

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

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(1)

(iii) The scientist uses the same apparatus to measure the wavelength of visible
electromagnetic radiation emitted by another laser.
Describe how he should change the way the apparatus is arranged and used in
order to obtain an accurate value for the wavelength.

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(3)

(Total 13 marks)

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Q8.A student has a diffraction grating that is marked 3.5 × 103 lines per m.

(a) Calculate the percentage uncertainty in the number of lines per metre suggested by this
marking.

percentage uncertainty = ..................................... %

(1)

(b) Determine the grating spacing.

grating spacing = ..................................... mm

(2)

(c) State the absolute uncertainty in the value of the spacing.

absolute uncertainty = ..................................... mm

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 (1)

(d) The student sets up the apparatus shown in Figure 1 in an experiment to confirm the
value marked on the diffraction grating.

Figure 1

The laser has a wavelength of 628 nm. Figure 2 shows part of the interference pattern
that appears on the screen. A ruler gives the scale.

Figure 2

Use Figure 2 to determine the spacing between two adjacent maxima in the
interference pattern. Show all your working clearly.

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 spacing = ..................................... mm

(1)

(e) Calculate the number of lines per metre on the grating.

number of lines = .....................................

(2)

(f) State and explain whether the value for the number of lines per m obtained in part (e) is in
agreement with the value stated on the grating.

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(2)

(g) State one safety precaution that you would take if you were to carry out the experiment
that was performed by the student.

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(1)

(Total 10 marks)

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Q9.The diagram below shows the paths of microwaves from two narrow slits, acting as coherent
sources, through a vacuum to a detector.

(a) Explain what is meant by coherent sources.

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(2)

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(b) (i) The frequency of the microwaves is 9.4 GHz.

Calculate the wavelength of the waves.

wavelength = ................................. m

(2)

(ii) Using the diagram above and your answer to part (b)(i), calculate the path
difference between the two waves arriving at the detector.

path difference = ................................. m

(1)

(c) State and explain whether a maximum or minimum is detected at the position shown in
the diagram above.

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 (3)

(d) The experiment is now rearranged so that the perpendicular distance from the slits to the
detector is 0.42 m. The interference fringe spacing changes to 0.11 m.

Calculate the slit separation. Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant
figures.

slit separation = ................................. m

(3)

(e) With the detector at the position of a maximum, the frequency of the microwaves is now
doubled. State and explain what would now be detected by the detector in the same
position.

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(3)

(Total 14 marks)

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Mark scheme

M1.D

[1]

M2.C

[1]

M3.C

[1]

M4 (a) (i) sin 60 = 1.47sin θ OR sin θ = sin 60 / 1.47 ✓

(sin 0.5891) = 36 (°) ✓ (36.0955°) (allow 36.2)
−1

Allow 36.0

(ii) sin θc = 1.33 / 1.47 OR sin θc = 0.9(048) ✓

(sin−1 0.9048) = 65 (°) ✓ (64.79)

Allow 64 for use of 0.9 and 66 for use of 0.91

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 (iii) answer consistent with previous answers, e.g.
if aii >ai:
ray refracts at the boundary AND goes to the right of the normal ✓
Angle of refraction > angle of incidence ✓ this mark depends on the first

if aii
TIR ✓
angle of reflection = angle of incidence ✓

ignore the path of the ray beyond water / glass boundary

Approx. equal angles (continuation of the line must touch ‘Figure

1’ label)

(b) for Reason or Explanation:

the angle of refraction should be > angle of incidence when entering the water ✓
water has a lower refractive index than glass \ light is faster in water than in glass ✓

TIR could not happen \ there is no critical angle, when ray travels from water to oil
✓
TIR only occurs when ray travels from higher to lower refractive index \ water has a
lower refractive index than oil ✓

Allow ‘ray doesn’t bend towards normal’ (at glass / water)

Allow optical density

Boundary in question must be clearly implied

[10]

M5.(a) Prevents (physical) damage to fibre / strengthen the fibre / protect the fibre

Allow named physical damage e.g. scratching

B1

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 Prevent crosstalk

(b) (Relative) refractive index = 1.03

or
Use of sinc = n2 / n1

Calculating the refractive indices and rounding before dividing

gives 76.8

C1

76.0° or 76.8°

A1

[3]

M6.(a) 110 Hz

B1

(b) (Use finger on the fret so that) a ¼ length of the string is used to sound the note or
hold string down on 24th fret

B1

(c) Mention or description of beats or description of rising and falling amplitude / louder
and quieter

Regular rising and falling of loudness owtte

B1

B1

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 Beat frequency 10(.0Hz) Allow beat frequency = 430 - 420

[4]

M7.(a) uniform width peaks ✓ (accurate to within ± one division)

peaks need to be rounded ie not triangular

the minima do not need to be exactly zero

a collection of peaks of constant amplitude or amplitude decreasing away from

central peak ✓

pattern must look symmetrical by eye

condone errors towards the edge of the pattern

double width centre peak total mark = 0

(b) (i) constant / fixed / same phase relationship / difference (and same frequency /
wavelength) ✓

in phase is not enough for the mark

(ii) single slit acts as a point / single source diffracting / spreading light to both
slits ✓
OR
the path lengths between the single slit and the double slits are constant / the
same / fixed ✓

(iii) superposition of waves from two slits ✓

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 phrase ‘constructive superposition’ = 2 marks

diffraction (patterns) from both slits overlap (and interfere constructively) ✓

(this mark may come from a diagram)

constructive interference / reinforcement (at bright fringe)

peaks meet peaks / troughs meet troughs ✓ (any reference to antinode will
lose this mark)

waves from each slit meet in phase

OR path difference = n λ ✓

4 max 3

(c) (i) D= = ✓ do not penalise any incorrect powers of ten

for this mark

= 0.5 (m) ✓ (0.4938 m)

numbers can be substituted into the equation using any form

note 0.50 m is wrong because of a rounding error

full marks available for answer only

(ii) fringes further apart or fringe / pattern has a greater width / is wider ✓

ignore any incorrect reasoning

changes to green is not enough for mark

(iii) increase D ✓
measure across more than 2 maxima ✓

several / few implies more than two

added detail which includes ✓

explaining that when D is increased then w increases
Or
repeat the reading with a changed distance D or using different numbers of
fringes or measuring across different pairs of (adjacent) fringes
Or
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 explaining how either of the first two points improves / reduces the percentage
error.

no mark for darkened room

[13]

M8.(a) 2.9% ✓

Allow 3%

(b) seen ✓

0.29 mm or 2.9 x 10-4 m✓ must see 2 sf only

(c) ± 0.01 mm ✓

(d) Clear indication that at least 10 spaces have been measured to give a spacing =
5.24 mm✓

spacing from at least 10 spaces

Allow answer within range ±0.05

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(e) Substitution in d sinθ = nλ✓

The 25 spaces could appear here as n with sin θ as 0.135 / 2.5

d = 0.300 x 10 m so
-3

number of lines = 3.34 x103✓

Condone error in powers of 10 in substitution

Allow ecf from 1-4 value of spacing

(f) Calculates % difference (4.6%) ✓

and makes judgement concerning agreement ✓

Allow ecf from 1-5 value

(g) care not to look directly into the laser beam✓

OR
care to avoid possibility of reflected laser beam ✓
OR
warning signs that laser is in use outside the laboratory✓
ANY ONE

[10]

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M9.(a) same wavelength / frequency

constant phase relationship allow ‘constant phase difference’ but not ‘in phase’

(b) (i) (λ= )

Use of speed of sound gets zero

3.00 × 108 = 9.4 (109) λ OR

= 3.2 × 10−2 (3.19 × 10−2 m)

Allow 0.03

(ii) 3.2 × 10−2 (m) ecf from bi

Don’t allow ‘1 wavelength’, 1λ, etc

Do not accept: zero, 2 , 360 °

(c) maximum (at position shown)

allow constructive superposition.

‘Addition’ is not enough

constructive interference / reinforcement

ecf for ‘minimum’ or for reference to wrong maximum

(the waves meet) ‘in step’ / peak meets peak / trough meets trough / path difference is (n)
λ / in phase

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(d) s=

Don’t allow use of the diagram shown as a scale diagram

ecf bi

Do not penalise s and w symbols wrong way round in working if

answer is correct.

= 0.12 (0.1218 m)

Correct answer gains first two marks.

= any 2sf number

Independent sf mark for any 2 sf number

(e) a maximum

Candidates stating ‘ minimum ’ can get second mark only

(f × 2 results in) λ/2

path difference is an even number of multiples of the new wavelength ( 2n λ new )

allow ‘path difference is nλ’ / any even number of multiples of the new λ quoted e.g. ‘path
difference is now 2 λ’

[14]

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