Q1. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal wave being produced in a stretched spring.

Figure 1

(a) Which of the letters on Figure 1 shows the centre of a rarefaction?

Tick one box.

J K L M

(1)

(b) Which two letters in Figure 1 have a distance of one wavelength between them?

Tick one box.

J and K K and L L and M J and M

(1)

(c) Describe how the end of the stretched spring should be moved in order to produce a
transverse wave.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

d) Figure 2 shows how two students used the sound reflected off a building (an echo) to
measure the speed of sound.

Figure 2

1
This is the method used.

1. Student A hit two cymbals together and student B started a stopwatch.

2. When student A heard an echo she hit the cymbals together again.

3. Student B stopped the stopwatch after timing 5 echoes.

The table shows the student's results.

Time for 5
echoes in
seconds

3.1

2.7

2.2

3.2

(d) The students decided that the time of 2.2 s was an anomalous result. What was the
most likely cause for this anomalous result?

Tick one box.

Not resetting the stopwatch to

zero.

Starting the stopwatch too

soon.

Timing less than five echoes.

Timing more than five

echoes.
(1)

Q2. Waves may be either longitudinal or transverse.

(a) Describe the difference between a longitudinal and a transverse wave.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

2
 (b) Describe one piece of evidence that shows when a sound wave travels through the
air it is the wave and not the air itself that travels.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________(1)

Q3. (a) A student uses a microphone to send different sounds to an oscilloscope. The diagrams
show five traces, A, B, C, D and E, on the oscilloscope. All the traces are drawn to the same scale.

(i) Which three diagrams show traces with the same amplitude?

Diagrams _____ , _____ and _____ .

(1)

(ii) Which two diagrams show traces with the same frequency?

Diagrams _____ and _____ .

(1)

(b) The diagram shows the sound frequencies which some living things can hear.

3
(i) What is the widest range of frequencies that a human child can hear?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Why can some dog whistles be heard by dogs but not by humans?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

4
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) K
1

(b) L and M
1

(c) the oscillation should be perpendicular to the direction of the

stretched spring
allow up and down
1

(d) timing less than five echoes

1

Q2.
(a) in a longitudinal wave the oscillations / vibrations are parallel to the direction of
energy transfer.
accept wave travel for energy transfer throughout
1

in a transverse wave the oscillations / vibrations are perpendicular to the direction of

energy transfer.
1

(b) accept any sensible suggestion eg a vibrating drum skin does not move the air away
to create a vacuum (around the drum)

Q3. (a) (i) A, C and D

any order but all three required and no others
1

(ii) D and E
either order but both required and no others
1

(b) (i) 20000 (Hz) to 20 (Hz)

accept ‘19980 (Hz)’

or vice-versa
1

(ii) frequency (of dog whistle) too high (for humans to hear) / frequency
above 20000 Hz
accept ‘it is ultrasound’
accept ‘sound from the whistle is ultrasonic’
5
1