5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

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Mark scheme – Wave Behaviour (F)

Question Answer/Indicative content Marks Guidance

1
1 a i Transverse ✓
(AO1.1)

Molecules/Particles move perpendicular/ ACCEPT at right angles/ 90° (to direction of

1
ii right angles (to the direction of energy travel)
(AO1.1)
transfer/water surface) ✓ ACCEPT up and down1

FIRST CHECK THE ANSWER ON

2
ANSWER LINE
If answer = 0.5 (Hz) award 2 marks
iii ACCEPT ½
Frequency = number of waves per second /
(AO2 ×
= 10 ÷ 20 ✓
2.1)
f = 0.5 (Hz) ✓

FIRST CHECK THE ANSWER ON

ANSWER LINE If answer = 0.06 (m / s)
2
award 3 marks
b i (AO2 ×
2.1)
Speed = 0.6 × 0.1 ✓
Speed = 0.06 (m / s) ✓

Distance is measured with a metre-rule OR

2
tape measure ✓ ACCEPT metre-ruler
ii (AO2 ×
DO NOT ALLOW ruler
1.2)
Time is measured with a stop-watch ✓

3
FIRST CHECK THE ANSWER ON
ANSWER LINE
If answer = 0.08 (m / s) award 3 marks
iii
(AO1 ×
Speed = distance ÷ time ✓
1.2)
= 2.4 ÷ 30 ✓
(AO2 ×
= 0.08 (m / s) ✓
2.1)

Uncertainty/difficulty in measuring distance

✓
1
iv OR ALLOW AW
(AO3.2a)
Human reaction time in starting/stopping
stopwatch ✓

Total 12

2 C✓ 1 (AO2.2)

Total 1

FIRST CHECK THE ANSWER ON Examiner’s Comments

ANSWER LINE
3 (AO1.2)
If answer = 1.5 (m/s) award 3 marks Candidates needed to recall the wave
3 a (AO2.1)
equation and substitute the numbers. Many
(AO2.1)
Wave speed = frequency × wavelength / v = candidates gained the marks on this
f×λ✓ question. Candidates who did not do well on
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

this question often did not write an equation

= 0.25 × 6 ✓ in their answer.

1.5 (m/s) ✓ Exemplar 2

This candidate has stated the equation with

the wave speed as the subject. The
candidate has then substituted the numbers
before calculating the answer.

AfL

For calculations, candidates should show

their working.

The following steps are useful:

Recall equation (if not given in the

1.
question)
2. Rearrange equation
3. Substitute the numbers into the equation
4. Calculate the answer
Consider significant figures or decimal
5.
places

Examiner’s Comments

(transverse) This question required candidates to

demonstrate their understanding of the
b i 1 (AO2.2)
differences between transverse and
Wave movement shown
longitudinal waves. Many candidates drew
arrows pointing left to right towards the
barrier

ALLOW bounces back / comes back

towards the hand

Examiner’s Comments

ii Reflection at wall ✓ 1 (AO1.2) It was expected that candidates would state

that the wave would be reflected.
Candidates should be encouraged to use
technical terms such as “reflect” rather than
“bounce”. Many candidates stated that the
wave would stop at the wall.

The coils do not travel from one end to the

The coils / slinky /spring are in the same other Must have reference to coils / slinky /
iii 1 (AO1.1)
place (as before the wave) / AW ✓ spring
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Examiner’s Comments

This was a challenging question. Many

candidates answered it by describing water
waves rather than referring to the slinky
spring model. To gain credit candidates
needed to explain that the coils remain in
the same positions.

Examiner’s Comments

A small proportion of candidates gained this

c i 2 (s) ✓ 1 (AO1.2)
mark for a period of 2 s. The majority of
candidates wrote 12 s being the total time
shown. A few candidates wrote 1 s.

Examiner’s Comments

ii 3 (cm) ✓ 1 (AO1.2) Over half the candidates scored the mark

for 3 cm. The common incorrect answer was
6 cm (peak to trough).

ALLOW ‘2 waves in a second’ ✓

Examiner’s Comments

Candidates often did not refer to a time of

one second. The word “amount” was often
used instead of “number”. Many vague
responses such as “how many times
something happens” or “how fast something
is” were seen.
the number of (complete) waves /
iii 1 (AO1.1)
oscillations in a / per second ✓ Candidates are expected to define
frequency (and wavelength).

AfL

Candidates should be able to know and

apply basic wave terms such as amplitude,
wavelength, frequency and period.

Total 9

Examiner’s Comments

This question proved very challenging.

Many candidates incorrectly gave the
4 D✓ 1 (AO2.2)
answer as B without realising that the
question referred to a sound wave.
Candidates needed to know that sound
travelled faster in water than in air.

Total 1
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Examiner’s Comments

5 A✓ 1(AO1.1) This question required candidates to read

the options carefully. Many candidates did
not realise the direction was important.

Total 1

Examiner’s Comments

The majority of candidates correctly

6 D✓ 1 (AO1.2) identified that a ruler and a stopwatch
should be used to measure the speed of
water waves. A common incorrect response
was an ammeter and stopwatch.

Total 1

Examiner’s Comments

This question was also based on the

electromagnetic spectrum section of the
specification. Candidates had a better
understanding of the main groupings of the
7 C✓ 1 (AO1.1) electromagnetic spectrum from long to short
wavelengths and from low to high
frequencies. An alternative way of
answering this question is to apply the wave
equation realising that the speed of
electromagnetic waves in a vacuum is
constant.

Total 1

ALLOW no wind
IGNORE increase time

Examiner’s Comments
Takes several readings / take averages / 1 (AO Most candidates suggesting repeating the
8
increase distance ✓ 3.3a) experiment and calculating an average.
Some candidates suggested using different
distances and then plotting a graph. Other
candidates suggested increasing the
distance to the observer.

Total 1

ALLOW higher level answer: thinking

distance is (directly) proportional to speed

Examiner’s Comments
Around half the candidates stated that
9 Thinking distance doubles ✓ 1 (AO1.1) thinking distance also doubled and used
data from the table to demonstrate their
answer. Many of the candidates who did not
gain credit stated that the thinking distance
increases but without using the information
from the question of the speed doubling.
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Other candidates did not answer the

question set but explained factors that could
affect thinking distance. A few candidates
referred to the ‘thinking time’ doubling.

AfL

When investigating stopping distances,

candidates should be encouraged to
understand fully the terms thinking distance,
braking distance, thinking time, braking
time. Encourage candidates to underline the
important parts of the question – in this case
thinking distance (which was already
emboldened) and speed doubles.

Total 1

Do not accept distance / time the ball

travels
Do not accept metres / seconds

Examiner’s Comments
Some candidates wrote a list of quantities
Distance (between source and observer) ✓ that could be measured with no description:
speed, distance, time, frequency and
2 (AO 2 x
10 a wavelength. These candidates could not be
1.1)
Time (for sound to travel between source credited with any marks as they had not
and observer) ✓ answered the question. Candidates were
expected to describe how the distance that
the sound would travel and the time for the
sound to travel were needed to calculate the
speed. Many candidates ignored the context
for the question and referred to measuring
the distance the ball travels.

ALLOW distance ÷ time

Examiner’s Comments
This question was answered well by
b Speed = distance ÷ time ✓ 1 (AO 1.1) candidates. Some candidates quoted the
wave equation which was not appropriate to
the experiment. A significant number of
candidates incorrectly gave the correct
equation as speed = distance × time..

Total 3

Examiner’s Comments
This question was answered correctly by
11 C✓ 1 (AO 1.2) most candidates and many had added a
column to the table to determine the range
for each of the four distances.
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

Total 1

Examiner’s Comments
Candidates found this question very
challenging and the most common response
was distractor A.

AfL

A better way for candidates to approach this

question would be to consider refraction
12 B✓ 1 (AO 2.2) occurring with a change of speed and the
effect across a wavefront. In diagram A, a
change of speed would change the speed of
all parts of the wavefront by the same
amount so that the wavefront would
continue to move ‘in step’. Response B is
the correct answer since it would not be
possible to have an angle of refraction of 0°
with an angle of incidence greater than 0°.
Similarly, for the emergent ray it would not
be possible to have an angle of refraction
greater than 0° if the angle of incidence is
0°.

Total 1

ALLOW 3.4 to 3.6

Examiner’s Comments
13 a i 3.5 (cm) ✓ 1 (AO 1.1) One in five candidates answered this
question correctly. Some candidate
confused wavelength with the amplitude.
Another common response was 9 cm.

Examiner’s Comments
Many candidates read the vertical axis
incorrectly and gave values that were
around 2.4 cm but not that specific value
(for example 2.5 cm).

ii 2.4 (cm) ✓ 1 (AO 1.1)

Misconception

A common incorrect answer was 4.8 cm,

where candidates confused the peak to
peak value with amplitude. Other candidates
confused amplitude with the wavelength.

FIRST CHECK THE ANSWER ON

2 (AO 2 x
iii ANSWER LINE
2.1)
If answer = 0.5 (m/s) award 2 marks
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

2 × 25 OR 2 × 0.25✓
ALLOW 50
0.5 (m/s) ✓
Examiner’s Comments
Most candidates were credited with one
mark for multiplying 2 by 25 to give an
answer of 50. Fewer candidates appreciated
that this was 50 cm/s while the unit on the
answer line was m/s.

AfL

Encourage candidates to check the unit

used on the answer line. This additional
information can help them to understand the
question and the equations they should use.

(Particles move) up and down /

b i oscillate/vibrate vertically/at right angles to 1 (AO 1.1)
the direction of the wave ✓

Examiner’s Comments
Very few candidates were able to express a
clear understanding of the motion of
particles caused by the progress of a
transverse water wave, or a longitudinal
sound wave. A number of candidates stated
used ambiguous descriptions such as ‘the
particles would move side to side’, which
could apply to both transverse and
(Particles move) forwards and backwards / longitudinal waves.
ii oscillate/vibrate parallel to the direction of 1 (AO 1.1)
the wave / AW ✓

OCR support

The Waves in Matter transition guide (from

KS3 to KS4) provides guidance on the
teaching about waves.

http:/www.ocr.org.uk/Images/318139-
waves-in-matter-transition-guide.pdf

Total 6

Examiner’s Comments
This question was generally answered well.
14 B✓ 1 (AO 1.1) Some candidate incorrectly selected either
A the normal or C.
5.1 Wave Behaviour (F) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

AfL

With ray diagrams, candidates should

always identify the normal, before working
out further positions of the rays.

Total 1