AS WAVES & SUPERPOSITION OF WAVES

80 cm
P R

100 cm

direction of
transfer of energy
A
displacement
to the right

B D
0
0 distance
from source
displacement
to the left
C
 X Y

X Y
X Y
X Y
X Y
 X Y

string

positions of string
when X and Y are at
maximum displacement

horizon
sea wall sea
sea wall

beach

wavefronts
 double screen
single
slit
slit

source
of light q

p r

p
q
r
 F x

F x

t d

d d

0 0
0 t 0 t
 L

pipe

L
loudspeaker

L L L L

A B

gap

barrier

C D
 y x
y x

y1
0
0 ! ! ! 3! 2! 5! x
8 2 2 2

x y y
displacement

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
time / ms

1.0 cm

1.0 cm
 n
d

y x

n d
n d
d n
d n

–
 14

21 The graph shows the variation of a quantity P with a quantity Q for a sound wave travelling in air.

0
0 Q

What could P and Q be?

P Q

A amplitude intensity
B frequency wavelength
C speed frequency
D wavelength period

22 A vibration generator produces a progressive wave on a rope. The diagram shows the rope at
one instant. The wave travels at a speed of 4.0 m s–1.

rope 4.0 m s–1

length / m
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

What are the wavelength and the frequency of the wave?

wavelength frequency
/m / Hz

A 0.13 15
B 0.13 30
C 0.27 15
D 0.27 30

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23 The diagram shows the waveform of a signal displayed on a cathode-ray oscilloscope.

The time-base is set at 5.0 ms per division.

The Y-gain is set at 5.0 mV per division.

What are the amplitude and the frequency of the signal?

amplitude frequency
/ mV / Hz

A 10 50
B 10 100
C 20 50
D 20 100

24 A jet aircraft travels at a speed of 0.8v where v is the speed of sound. The aircraft approaches a
stationary observer. The frequency of sound emitted by the aircraft is 100 Hz.

Which frequency does the observer hear?

A 56 Hz B 180 Hz C 400 Hz D 500 Hz

25 A telescope detects and analyses some electromagnetic radiation of wavelength 2 cm.

Which type of telescope is it?

A microwave telescope
B optical telescope
C radio telescope
D X-ray telescope

26 What may be used to produce stationary waves?

A blowing air over the top of an empty bottle

B making a loud sound near a mountain
C passing monochromatic light through a double slit
D passing water waves through a narrow slit

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27 What is an example of the diffraction of a wave?

A laser light travelling along an optic fibre

B light waves forming images on a cinema screen
C microwaves passing the edge of a metal plate
D sound waves diverging as they pass through air

28 When the light from two lamps falls on a screen, no interference pattern can be obtained.

Why is this?

A The lamps are not point sources.

B The lamps emit light of different amplitudes.
C The light from the lamps is not coherent.
D The light from the lamps is white.

29 A beam of light consists of two wavelengths of 436 nm and 654 nm. A diffraction grating of
5.00 × 105 lines m–1 produces a diffraction pattern in which the second order of one of these
wavelengths occurs at the same angle as the third order of the other wavelength.

overlapping orders

436 nm θ
zero order
654 nm θ

What is the angle ?

A 19.1° B 25.8° C 40.8° D 78.8°

30 Which diagram shows the electric field lines surrounding an isolated negative point charge?

A B C D

– – – –

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23 When a guitar string is plucked, it causes a longitudinal sound wave in the air, as shown.

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8

distance / m

The speed of sound in the air is 340 m s–1.

What is the approximate frequency of the sound wave shown?

A 430 Hz B 680 Hz C 1100 Hz D 1400 Hz

24 The sound from a loudspeaker placed above a tube causes resonance of the air in the tube.

A stationary wave is formed with two nodes and two antinodes as shown.

loudspeaker

60 cm

The speed of sound in the air is 340 m s–1.

What is the frequency of the sound?

A 430 Hz B 570 Hz C 850 Hz D 1700 Hz

25 A police car has a two-tone siren emitting sound of frequencies of 700 Hz and 1000 Hz.

The police car is travelling at a speed of 40.0 m s–1 towards a stationary observer. The speed of
sound in the air is 340 m s–1.

What is the difference between the two frequencies of the sound that is heard by the observer?

A 268 Hz B 300 Hz C 335 Hz D 340 Hz

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26 A surveyor’s device emits a pulse of light. The light is reflected from a wall 150 m away.

What is the time taken for the pulse to travel from the device to the wall and then back to the
device?

A 0.05 ns B 0.10 ns C 0.50 µs D 1.0 µs

27 Progressive sound waves of wavelength 20 cm enter the air columns in a closed pipe P and an
open pipe Q. The lengths of the pipes are shown.

P Q

35 cm 50 cm

In which pipe or pipes are stationary waves formed?

A P and Q
B P only
C Q only
D neither P nor Q

28 What happens when waves pass through a gap equal to their wavelength?

A There is diffraction and the wavelength decreases.

B There is diffraction and the wavelength stays the same.
C There is no diffraction and the wavelength decreases.
D There is no diffraction and the wavelength stays the same.

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29 Two sources of microwaves P and Q produce coherent waves with a phase difference of 180°.
The waves have the same wavelength .

S
P

At the point S there is a minimum in the interference pattern produced by waves from the two
sources. The distance (QS – PS) is called the path difference.

In the expressions shown, n is an integer.

Which expression represents the path difference?

A n B 1
2
n C (n + 1
2
) D (2n + 1
2
)

30 A parallel beam of monochromatic light of wavelength is incident normally on a diffraction

grating G. The angle between the directions of the two second-order diffracted beams at P1 and
at P2 is , as shown.

P1

light α

P2

What is the spacing of the lines on the grating?

A 2 B C 2 D
sin sin sin( / 2) sin( / 2)

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20 A transverse progressive wave is set up on a string.

The graph shows the variation with time of displacement for a point on this string.

displacement

X Y
0
0 time

The separation XY on the graph represents the 1 of the wave.

X and Y have equal 2 .

Which words correctly complete gaps 1 and 2?

1 2

A time period amplitudes

B time period displacements
C wavelength amplitudes
D wavelength displacements

21 Which region of the electromagnetic spectrum includes waves with a frequency of 107 MHz?

A infra-red waves
B radio waves
C ultraviolet waves
D X-rays

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22 A longitudinal wave has vibrations parallel to the direction of transfer of energy by the wave.

The wave can be represented on a graph showing the variation of the displacement of the
particles with distance from the source.

Which point on the graph is the centre of a compression?

direction of
transfer of energy
A
displacement
away from source

B D
0
0 distance
from source
displacement
towards source
C

23 What can be deduced from a table of wavelengths of the waves in the electromagnetic spectrum?

A Green light has a shorter wavelength than X-rays.

B Red light has a shorter wavelength than green light.
C The wavelength range for radio waves is less than that for infra-red waves.
D The wavelength range for X-rays is less than that for radio waves.

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24 A binary star consists of two stars rotating around a common centre. Light from one of the stars is
observed on the Earth.

binary
star
observer
on Earth

The observed frequency of the light varies between a minimum frequency fmin and a maximum
frequency fmax, as shown.

fmax
observed
frequency

fmin

0 time

The rate of rotation of the binary star increases.

What is the change to fmax and the change to fmin?

fmax fmin

A decreases decreases
B decreases increases
C increases decreases
D increases increases

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25 A teacher sets up the apparatus shown to demonstrate a double-slit interference pattern on the
screen.

double screen
single
slit
slit

source
of light q

p r

Which change to the apparatus will increase the fringe spacing?

A decreasing the distance p

B decreasing the distance q

C decreasing the distance r
D decreasing the wavelength of the light

26 The diagram shows two sources of waves S1 and S2. The sources oscillate with a phase
difference of 180°.

S1 S2

5 cm
13 cm

The sources each generate a wave of wavelength 2.0 cm. Each source produces a wave that has
amplitude x0 when it reaches point P.

What is the amplitude of the oscillation at P?

x0
A 0 B C x0 D 2x0
2

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27 A pipe, closed at one end, has a loudspeaker at the open end. A stationary sound wave is formed
in the air within the pipe with an antinode at the open end of the pipe.

0.85 m
loudspeaker pipe

The length of the pipe is 0.85 m.

The speed of sound in air is 340 m s–1.

Which frequency of sound from the loudspeaker would not produce a stationary wave?

A 100 Hz B 200 Hz C 300 Hz D 500 Hz

28 A particle has a charge of +2.0 mC and is in a vertical uniform electric field. An electric force of
1.0 × 10–2 N acts upwards on the particle.

What is the electric field strength?

A 0.20 V m–1 downwards

B 0.20 V m–1 upwards
C 5.0 V m–1 downwards
D 5.0 V m–1 upwards

29 A charged particle is in the electric field between two horizontal metal plates connected to a
battery, as shown. There is a force F on the particle due to the electric field.

charged particle

The separation of the plates is doubled.

What is the new force on the particle?

A F B F C F D 2F
4 2

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22 Two lasers emit light in a vacuum. One laser emits red light and the other emits green light.

Which property of the two laser beams must be different?

A amplitude
B frequency
C intensity
D speed

23 The diagram shows the screen of a cathode-ray oscilloscope (c.r.o.) displaying a wave.

The time-base of the c.r.o. is set at 10 ms / division.

What is the frequency of the wave?

A 0.24 Hz B 4.2 Hz C 12 Hz D 24 Hz

24 A string is fixed at one end and the other end is attached to a vibrator. The frequency of the
vibrator is slowly increased from zero. A series of stationary waves is formed. Assume that for a
stationary wave there is a node at point P.

string
P
fixed

vibrator
L

What are the first five wavelengths of the stationary waves that could be formed?

A 2L ,2L ,2L ,2L ,2L

1 2 3 4 5

B 2L ,2L ,2L ,2L ,2L

2 3 4 5 6

C 4L ,4L ,4L ,4L ,4L

1 2 3 4 5

D 4L ,4L ,4L ,4L ,4L

1 3 5 7 9

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25 Which region of the electromagnetic spectrum has waves of wavelength 1000 times smaller than
the wavelength of visible light?

A infra-red
B microwaves
C ultraviolet
D X-rays

26 The diagram shows apparatus for the measurement of the frequency of a sound wave.

microphone source
of sound
metal
plate

Sound of the unknown frequency is reflected back from a metal plate. A microphone placed at a
distance D from the metal plate detects the sound intensity. A minimum intensity is detected with
D = 12.0 cm. The plate is moved further away from the microphone until the next minimum is
detected with D = 15.0 cm.

The speed of sound in air is 336 m s–1.

What is the frequency of the sound?

A 56 Hz B 112 Hz C 5600 Hz D 11 200 Hz

27 An astronomer observes the light from a star that is moving away from the Earth.

For the observed light, what has been increased due to the star’s motion?

A amplitude
B frequency
C speed
D wavelength

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28 The diagram shows a stationary wave, at time t = 0, that has been set up on a string fixed
between points P and S.

X Y
P Q R S

The nodes of the stationary wave occur on the string at P, Q, R and S. Point X is moving down at
time t = 0. The points on the string vibrate with time period T and maximum amplitude 2 cm.

The displacement s is positive in the upward direction.

Which graph best shows the variation with t of the displacement s of point Y on the string?

A B
2 2
s / cm s / cm

0 0
0 T t 0 T t
2 2
–2 –2

C D
2 2
s / cm s / cm

0 0
0 T t 0 T t
2 2
–2 –2

29 A two-source interference experiment uses the apparatus shown.

lamp
single double screen
slit slit

What is the main purpose of the single slit?

A to make a narrow beam of light

B to make the same amplitude of light incident on each slit
C to provide coherent light
D to provide monochromatic light

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21 A transverse wave on a rope has wavelength and period T.

The graph shows the variation of the displacement of the particles of the rope with distance in the
direction of travel of the wave at time t = 0.

direction
displacement of travel

X
0
0 λ distance

A particle X is labelled.

Which graph shows the variation of the displacement of particle X with time t ?

A B

displacement displacement

0 0
0 T t 0 T t

C D

displacement displacement

0 0
0 T t 0 T t

22 Which statement about all types of transverse waves is correct?

A They all have the same speed.

B They all have vibrations that are parallel to the direction of propagation of energy.
C They can all form stationary waves.
D They can all travel through a vacuum.

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23 Source S emits microwaves with a constant amplitude. The microwaves hit a metal screen P and
are reflected. A stationary wave is formed between S and P. The wavelength of the microwaves
is much smaller than the distance between S and P.

S P

A detector Q is moved at a slow, constant speed from S to P.

What happens to the amplitude of the signal detected by Q?

A decreases steadily
B increases and decreases regularly
C increases steadily
D remains constant

24 The siren of a moving police car emits a sound wave with a frequency of 440 Hz. A stationary
observer hears sound of frequency 494 Hz. The speed of sound in the air is 340 m s–1.

What could be the speed and the direction of movement of the car?

A 37 m s–1 directly towards the observer

B 37 m s–1 directly away from the observer
C 42 m s–1 directly towards the observer
D 42 m s–1 directly away from the observer

25 An electromagnetic wave has a wavelength of 138 pm in a vacuum.

To which region of the electromagnetic spectrum does this wave belong?

A radio wave
B microwave
C visible light
D X-ray

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26 Two wave pulses are travelling towards each other on a long rope. The pulses have the same
amplitude and wavelength and are travelling at a speed of 0.50 m s–1. The diagram shows the
rope at time t 0.

0.50 m s–1 0.50 m s–1

4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 8.0

distance / m

Which diagram shows the rope at time t 3.0 s?

A B

5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5
distance / m distance / m

C D

5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0 7.5
distance / m distance / m

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27 Water waves of wavelength are incident normally on an obstacle with a narrow gap. The width
of the gap is equal to . The waves from the gap emerge over an angle as shown.

λ
λ

incident diffracted
θ
water waves water waves

The gap is slowly widened.

Which changes, if any, occur to and to the wavelength of the emerging waves?

wavelength

A decreases remains the same

B increases remains the same
C remains the same decreases
D remains the same increases

28 Light of wavelength 720 nm from a laser X is incident normally on a diffraction grating and a
diffraction pattern is observed. Light from a laser Y is then also incident normally on the same
grating. The third-order maximum due to laser Y is seen at the same place as the second-order
maximum due to laser X.

What is the wavelength of the light from laser Y?

A 480 nm B 540 nm C 720 nm D 1080 nm

29 Monochromatic light of frequency f is incident on a diffraction grating of line spacing d. The speed
of light is c.

Which expression can be used to determine the highest order of intensity maximum produced by
the grating?

A n= d B n = df C n = dc D n= c
cf c f df

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23 The diagram illustrates the position of particles in a progressive sound wave at one instant in
time.

P Q

The speed of the wave is v. P and Q are two points in the wave a distance L apart.

What is an expression for the frequency of the wave?

A v B v C 2v D L
2L L L v

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24 A wave moves along the surface of water.

The diagram shows the variation of displacement s with distance along the wave at time t = 0.

direction of travel
s
P
distance
0
0 along wave

Which graph best shows the variation with time t of the displacement s of the point P on the
wave?

A 0 t
0

B 0 t
0

C 0 t
0

D 0 t
0

25 In an experiment to determine the wavelength of sound in air, a stationary wave is set up in an air
column.

The distance between a node and an adjacent antinode is L.

What is the wavelength of the sound?

A 1
2
L B L C 2L D 4L

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26 In one of the first experiments to demonstrate the Doppler effect, a train was filled with trumpeters
all playing a note of frequency 440 Hz. The difference in observed frequency of the note as the
train directly approached a stationary observer was 22 Hz. The speed of sound was 340 m s–1.

At which speed was the train moving?

A 15.4 m s–1 B 16.2 m s–1 C 17.0 m s–1 D 17.9 m s–1

27 The electromagnetic spectrum consists of waves with different wavelengths.

Which row correctly identifies regions of the electromagnetic spectrum?

10–10 m 10–8 m 10–5 m 10–2 m

A microwaves X-rays ultraviolet infrared

B infrared microwaves X-rays ultraviolet
C microwaves infrared ultraviolet X-rays
D X-rays ultraviolet infrared microwaves

28 A cathode-ray oscilloscope (CRO) is used to display the trace from a sound wave. The time-base
is set at 5 µs mm–1.

1 cm

1 cm

What is the frequency of the sound wave?

A 6.7 Hz B 67 Hz C 6.7 kHz D 67 kHz

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29 Monochromatic light is directed at a diffraction grating, as shown.

Which diagram could show all the possible directions of the light, after passing through the
grating, that give maximum intensity?

A B C D

30 Why can an observable interference pattern never be obtained between two monochromatic
beams of light from different lamps?

A The frequency of the light from the two lamps can never be the same.
B The light from the two lamps can never be coherent.
C The temperature of the filaments of the two lamps used can never be the same.
D The wavelength of the light from the two lamps must always be different.

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31 A student sets up apparatus to observe the double-slit interference of monochromatic light, as

shown.

monochromatic
light

double slit
screen

Interference fringes are formed on the screen.

Which change would increase the distance between adjacent fringes?

A Decrease the distance between the two slits.

B Decrease the width of each slit.
C Move the screen closer to the double slit.
D Use light of a higher frequency.

32 An electron is situated in a vacuum between two charged plates, as shown.

– – – – – – – –

electron

+ + + + + + + +

Which statement describes the motion of the electron due to the uniform electric field?

A It moves downwards with a constant acceleration.

B It moves downwards with zero acceleration.
C It moves upwards with a constant acceleration.
D It moves upwards with a decreasing acceleration.

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22 A transverse wave in a medium has the waveform shown, where

y = vertical displacement and x = horizontal distance.

The speed of the wave is 20.0 cm s–1.

+1.0
y / mm

0 x / cm
0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0

–1.0

A particle of the medium oscillates vertically.

Which graph of vertical displacement y against time t best represents the motion of this particle?

A B
+1.0 +1.0
y / mm y / mm
0 t/s 0 t/s
0 0.10 0.20 0 2.0 4.0

–1.0 –1.0

C D
+2.0 +2.0
y / mm y / mm

0 0
0 4.0 8.0 0 5.0 10.0
t/s t/s

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23 The graph shows the variation of the displacement of particles with distance along a transverse
wave at an instant in time. The wave is moving to the right.

Which position along the wave corresponds to a point where particles in the wave are travelling
the fastest upwards?

direction of
D travel of wave
displacement

0
0 A C distance

24 A long tube, filled with water, has a tap fitted at its base, as shown.

A tuning fork is sounded above the tube and the water is allowed to run gradually out of the tube.

tuning fork

tube

water

tap

A louder sound is heard at intervals as the water runs out of the tube. The change in water level
between louder sounds is 32 cm.

What is the wavelength of the sound in the tube?

A 16 cm B 32 cm C 64 cm D 128 cm

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25 A stationary insect on the surface of water creates circular waves with its legs, as shown in
diagram 1. The insect begins to travel to the right as shown in diagram 2.

insect

X X

diagram 1 diagram 2

Which row describes the change to the waves at X caused by the movement of the insect?

frequency wave speed

A decreases increases
B decreases stays the same
C increases increases
D increases stays the same

26 A toy motorboat moving with constant velocity v vibrates up and down on the surface of a pond.
This causes the boat to act as a source of circular water waves of frequency 2.0 Hz. The speed of
the waves is 1.5 m s–1.

A man, standing at the edge of the pond, observes that the waves from the boat approach him
with a frequency of 3.0 Hz.

The formula for Doppler effect calculations with sound waves may also be used for water waves.

What is a possible value of v?

speed / m s–1 direction

A 0.50 directly away from the man

B 0.50 directly towards the man
C 0.75 directly away from the man
D 0.75 directly towards the man

27 Two progressive waves of frequency 300 Hz superpose to produce a stationary wave in which
adjacent nodes are 1.5 m apart.

What is the speed of the progressive waves?

A 100 m s–1 B 200 m s–1 C 450 m s–1 D 900 m s–1

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28 The diagrams show the diffraction of water waves in a ripple tank as they pass through a gap
between two barriers.

Which diagram is correct?

A B

C D

29 A double-slit interference experiment is set up as shown.

*
red
light
source
single double screen
slit slit

not to scale

Fringes are formed on the screen. The distance between successive bright fringes is found to be
4 mm.

Two changes are then made to the experimental arrangement. The double slit is replaced by
another double slit which has half the spacing. The screen is moved so that its distance from the
double slit is twice as great.

What is now the distance between successive bright fringes?

A 1 mm B 4 mm C 8 mm D 16 mm

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30 The interference patterns from a diffraction grating and a double slit are compared.

Using the diffraction grating, yellow light of the first order is seen at 30° to the normal to the
grating.

The same light produces interference fringes on a screen 1.0 m from the double slit. The slit
separation is 500 times greater than the line spacing of the grating.

What is the fringe separation on the screen?

A 2.5 × 10–7 m

B 1.0 × 10–5 m

C 1.0 × 10–3 m

D 1.0 × 10–1 m

31 Which diagram shows the pattern of the electric field lines due to a negative point charge?

A B C D

32 In an electrolyte, the electric current is carried by charged particles (ions) in solution.

What is not a possible value for the charge on an ion in solution?

A – 4.8 × 10–19 C

B +1.6 × 10–19 C

C +3.2 × 10–19 C

D +4.0 × 10–19 C

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22 The period of an electromagnetic wave is 1.0 ns.

What are the frequency and wavelength of the wave?

frequency / Hz wavelength / m

A 1.0 3.0 × 108

B 1.0 × 106 300
C 1.0 × 109 0.30
D 1.0 × 1012 3.0 × 10–4

23 Which statement about progressive longitudinal waves is not correct?

A The oscillations of the particles are parallel to the direction of travel of the wave energy.
B They have a series of nodes and antinodes.
C They need a medium through which to travel.
D They transfer energy.

24 A bicycle gear wheel is a disc with 50 ‘teeth’ equally spaced around its edge, as shown. The gear
wheel is rotated 10 times each second. A springy strip of metal is vibrated by the rotating ‘teeth’.
The metal strip produces a sound of frequency that is equal to the frequency of vibration of the
strip.

gear wheel fixed clamp

springy strip
of metal
teeth

The speed of sound in air is 330 m s–1.

What is the wavelength of the emitted sound?

A 0.66 m B 1.5 m C 6.6 m D 500 m

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25 An ambulance travels along a straight road at a speed of 30.0 m s–1. Its siren emits sound of
frequency 2000 Hz. The speed of sound in the air is 340 m s–1. The ambulance passes a man
standing at the side of the road.

What is the frequency of the sound heard by the man as the ambulance moves towards him and
as the ambulance moves away from him?

frequency heard as frequency heard as

ambulance moves ambulance moves
towards man / Hz away from man / Hz

A 1820 2180
B 1840 2190
C 2180 1820
D 2190 1840

26 Three different electromagnetic waves P, Q and R have the frequencies shown.

frequency / Hz

P 3 × 1010
Q 3 × 1013
R 6 × 1014

Which row identifies P, Q and R?

P Q R

A infra-red visible ultraviolet

B microwave infra-red visible
C ultraviolet X-ray gamma ray
D visible ultraviolet X-ray

27 Which row describes the oscillations of two moving particles in a stationary wave that are
separated by a distance of half a wavelength?

phase
amplitude
difference

A 90° different
B 90° same
C 180° different
D 180° same

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28 A parallel beam of red light of wavelength 700 nm is incident normally on a diffraction grating that
has 400 lines per millimetre.

What is the total number of intensity maxima from the grating?

A 6 B 7 C 8 D 9

29 Two wave sources are oscillating in phase. Each source produces a wave of wavelength λ. The
two waves from the sources meet at point X with a phase difference of 90°.

What is a possible difference in the distances from the two wave sources to point X?
λ λ λ
A B C D λ
8 4 2

30 Which diagram best illustrates the electric field around a positive point charge?

A B C D

+ + + +

31 The path of an electron with initial speed v in the uniform electric field between two parallel plates
is shown.

plates x

The vertical deflection x is measured at the right-hand edge of the plates.

The distance between the plates is halved. The potential difference between the plates remains
the same.

What will be the new deflection of the electron with the same initial speed v ?

A x B 2x C 2x D 4x

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4 (a) For a progressive wave, state what is meant by its period.

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

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

(b) State the principle of superposition.

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

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

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

(c) Electromagnetic waves of wavelength 0.040 m are emitted in phase from two sources X and
Y and travel in a vacuum. The arrangement of the sources is shown in Fig. 4.1.

X path of
detector
1.380 m

Y 1.240 m

Fig. 4.1 (not to scale)

A detector moves along a path that is parallel to the line XY. A pattern of intensity maxima and
minima is detected.

Distance XZ is 1.380 m and distance YZ is 1.240 m.

(i) State the name of the region of the electromagnetic spectrum that contains the waves
from X and Y.

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

(ii) Calculate the period, in ps, of the waves.

period = ..................................................... ps [3]

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(iii) Show that the path difference at point Z between the waves from X and Y is 3.5 , where
is the wavelength of the waves.

[1]

(iv) Calculate the phase difference between the waves at point Z.

phase difference = .........................................................° [1]

(v) The waves from X alone have the same amplitude at point Z as the waves from Y alone.

State the intensity of the waves at point Z.

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

(vi) The frequencies of the waves from X and Y are both decreased to the same lower value.
The waves stay within the same region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Describe the effect of this change on the pattern of intensity maxima and minima along
the path of the detector.

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

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

[Total: 11]

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5 Microwaves with the same wavelength and amplitude are emitted in phase from two sources X
and Y, as shown in Fig. 5.1.

path of detector
X

A position of central maximum

B position of adjacent minimum
Y

Fig. 5.1 (not to scale)

A microwave detector is moved along a path parallel to the line joining X and Y. An interference
pattern is detected. A central intensity maximum is located at point A and there is an adjacent
intensity minimum at point B. The microwaves have a wavelength of 0.040 m.

(a) Calculate the frequency, in GHz, of the microwaves.

frequency = ................................................. GHz [3]

(b) For the waves arriving at point B, determine:

(i) the path difference

path difference = ..................................................... m [1]

(ii) the phase difference.

phase difference = ........................................................° [1]

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(c) The amplitudes of the waves from the sources are changed. This causes a change in the
amplitude of the waves arriving at point A. At this point, the amplitude of the wave arriving from
source X is doubled and the amplitude of the wave arriving from source Y is also doubled.

Describe the effect, if any, on the intensity of the central maximum at point A.

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

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

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

(d) Describe the effect, if any, on the positions of the central intensity maximum and the adjacent
intensity minimum due to the following separate changes.

(i) The separation of the sources X and Y is increased.

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

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

(ii) The phase difference between the microwaves emitted by the sources X and Y changes
to 180°.

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

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

[Total: 9]

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