Topic: Waves Reflection

1 (a) A police car siren emits sound waves that vary in pitch.
Tick two boxes that apply to the sound waves emitted by the siren.

electromagnetic

longitudinal

transverse

visible

frequency 0.1–10 Hz

frequency 100–10 000 Hz

frequency 100 000–1 000 000 Hz

[2]

(b) Fig. 1.1 is a top view of one wavefront of a water wave before it strikes a hard boundary.

boundary

direction of travel
of wavefront wavefront

Fig. 1.1

(i) Name the process that occurs as the wavefront strikes the boundary.

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(ii) Explain, in terms of wave theory, what occurs as the wavefront strikes the boundary.

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(iii) State whether there is an increase, a decrease or no change in the wavelength of the
wave after it strikes the boundary.

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(iv) The speed of the wave is 3.0 m / s and its wavelength 7.0 cm.

Calculate the frequency of the wave.

frequency = ............................................... [2]

[Total: 8]

[Turn over
2 Sound from a loudspeaker is travelling in air towards a solid wall.

Fig. 2.1 shows compressions of the incident sound wave and the direction of travel of the wave.

P 8.5 m Q
wall

direction of
travel

compressions

Fig. 2.1

(a) State what is meant by a compression.

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(b) The distance from point P to point Q is 8.5 m. It takes 25 ms for the compression at P to
reach Q.

For this sound wave, determine

(i) the wavelength,

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

(ii) the frequency.

frequency = ...........................................................[2]

(c) As it strikes the wall, the sound reflects.

Complete Fig. 2.1 to show the positions of three compressions of the reflected sound wave.
[2]
(d) The loudspeaker is immersed in water, where it continues to produce sound of the same
frequency.

State and explain how the wavelength of the sound wave in water compares with the
wavelength determined in (b)(i).

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

[Total: 8]

[Turn over
3 Ripple tanks are often used to illustrate wave motion.

(a) Describe what is meant by wave motion in a ripple tank.

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(b) When describing wave motion, state what is meant by

(i) frequency,

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

(ii) wavelength.

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(c) A water wave in a ripple tank strikes a barrier. Fig. 3.1 shows some wavefronts of the incident
wave.

direction of
travel of
incident wave

wavefronts

barrier

Fig. 3.1
The water wave hits the barrier and is reflected. Three of the wavefronts in Fig. 3.1 have
already hit the barrier. The reflected parts of these wavefronts are not shown.

On Fig. 3.1, draw the reflected parts of these three wavefronts. [3]