IGCSE Physics
Waves_Worksheet
Marks: 79
Time: 75 minutes
1 (a) Fig. 6.1 represents the waveform of a sound wave. The wave is travelling at constant speed.
displacement
of particles
distance
along wave
Fig. 6.1
(i) On Fig. 6.1,
1. label with the letter X the marked distance corresponding to the amplitude of the
wave, [1]
2. label with the letter Y the marked distance corresponding to the wavelength of the
wave. [1]
(ii) State what happens to the amplitude and the wavelength of the wave if
1. the loudness of the sound is increased at constant pitch,
amplitude ...................................................................................................................
wavelength .................................................................................................................
[1]
2. the pitch of the sound is increased at constant loudness.
amplitude ...................................................................................................................
wavelength .................................................................................................................
[1]
1
(b) A ship uses pulses of sound to measure the depth of the sea beneath the ship. A sound pulse
is transmitted into the sea and the echo from the sea-bed is received after 54 ms. The speed
of sound in seawater is 1500 m / s.
Calculate the depth of the sea beneath the ship.
depth = ...........................................................[3]
[Total: 7]
2 (a) A sound wave in air consists of alternate compressions and rarefactions along its path.
(i) Explain how a compression differs from a rarefaction.
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(ii) Explain, in terms of compressions, what is meant by
1. the wavelength of the sound,
....................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................[1]
2. the frequency of the sound.
....................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................[1]
(b) At night, bats emit pulses of sound to detect obstacles and prey. The speed of sound in air is
340 m / s.
(i) A bat emits a pulse of sound of wavelength 0.0085 m.
Calculate the frequency of the sound.
frequency = ...........................................................[2]
2
(ii) State why this sound cannot be heard by human beings.
...........................................................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(iii) The pulse of sound hits a stationary object and is reflected back to the bat. The pulse is
received by the bat 0.12 s after it was emitted.
Calculate the distance travelled by the pulse of sound during this time.
distance = ...........................................................[2]
[Total: 8]
3 (a) Fig. 6.1 shows an object O placed in front of a plane mirror M. Two rays from the object to 3
mirror are shown.
Fig. 6.1
(i) On Fig. 6.1, for one of the rays shown,
1. draw the normal to the mirror,
2. mark the angle of incidence. Label this angle X.
[2]
(ii) On Fig. 6.1, draw
1. the reflected rays for both incident rays,
2. construction lines to locate the 3image of O. Label this image I.
[2]
(b) In Fig. 6.2, circular wavefronts from a point source in a tank of water strike a straight barrier.
barrier
source
Fig. 6.2
(i) The reflected wavefronts seem to come from a single point.
On Fig. 6.2, mark a dot to show the position of this point. Label this point C. [1]
(ii) Draw, as accurately as you can, the reflected circular wavefronts. [2]
[Total: 7]
4
4 (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. 7.1 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. 7.1
(i) Name the process that occurs as the wavefront strikes the boundary.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
5
(ii) Explain, in terms of wave theory, what occurs as the wavefront strikes the boundary.
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................................... [2]
(iii) State whether there is an increase, a decrease or no change in the wavelength of the
wave after it strikes the boundary.
...................................................................................................................................... [1]
(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]
6
5 During a thunderstorm, thunder and lightning are produced at the same time.
(a) A person is some distance away from the storm.
Explain why the person sees the lightning before hearing the thunder.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) A scientist in a laboratory made the following measurements during a thunderstorm.
time from start of storm / minutes 0.0 2.0 4.0 6.0 8.0 10.0
time between seeing lightning and hearing thunder / s 3.6 2.4 1.6 2.4 3.5 4.4
Fig. 7.1
(i) How many minutes after the storm started did it reach its closest point to the
laboratory?
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) How can you tell that the storm was never immediately over the laboratory?
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(iii) When the storm started, it was immediately above a village 1200 m from the
laboratory.
Using this information and information from Fig. 7.1, calculate the speed of sound.
speed of sound = ................................................ [2]
7
(iv) State the assumption you made when you calculated your answer to (b)(iii).
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(c) Some waves are longitudinal; some waves are transverse.
Some waves are electromagnetic; some waves are mechanical.
Put ticks (✓) in the table below to indicate which of these descriptions apply to the light
waves of the lightning and the sound waves of the thunder.
light waves sound waves
longitudinal
transverse
electromagnetic
mechanical
[3]
[Total: 9]
8
6 (a) Fig. 6.1 shows the position of layers of air, at one moment, as a sound wave of constant
frequency passes through the air. Compressions are labelled C. Rarefactions are labelled R.
C R
Fig. 6.1
(i) State how Fig. 6.1 would change if
1. the sound had a higher frequency,
................................................................................................................................[1]
2. the sound were louder.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................[2]
(ii) On Fig. 6.1, draw a line marked with arrows at each end to show the wavelength of the
sound. [1]
(b) In an experiment to measure the speed of sound in steel, a steel pipe of length 200 m is
struck at one end with a hammer. A microphone at the other end of the pipe is connected
to an accurate timer. The timer records a delay of 0.544 s between the arrival of the sound
transmitted by the steel pipe and the sound transmitted by the air in the pipe.
The speed of sound in air is 343 m / s. Calculate the speed of sound in steel.
speed of sound in steel = ...........................................................[3]
[Total: 7]
9
7 Some plane waves travel on the surface of water in a tank. They pass from a region of deep
water into a region of shallow water. Fig. 6.1 shows what the waves look like from above.
boundary
waves move
this way
deep shallow
water water
Fig. 6.1
(a) State what happens at the boundary, if anything, to
(i) the frequency of the waves,
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) the speed of the waves,
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(iii) the wavelength of the waves.
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(b) The waves have a speed of 0.12 m / s in the deep water. Wave crests are 0.08 m apart in
the deep water.
Calculate the frequency of the source producing the waves. State the equation that you
use.
frequency = ................................................ [3]
10
(c) Fig. 6.2 shows identical waves moving towards the boundary at an angle.
boundary
A B
waves move
this way
deep shallow
water water
Fig. 6.2
On Fig. 6.2, draw carefully the remainder of waves A and B, plus the two previous waves
which reached the shallow water. You will need to use your ruler to do this. [3]
[Total: 9]
11
8 Virtual images may be formed by both plane mirrors and by convex lenses.
Fig. 6.1 shows a plane mirror and a convex lens.
F F
Fig. 6.1
(a) On Fig. 6.1, draw rays to locate the approximate positions of the images of the tops of
the two arrow objects O and P.
Label the images. [5]
(b) Both images are virtual.
(i) What is meant by a virtual image?
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(ii) State one other similarity between the two images.
............................................................................................................................ [1]
(iii) State one difference between the two images.
............................................................................................................................ [1]
[Total: 8]
12
9 Fig. 6.1 shows white light incident at P on a glass prism. Only the refracted red ray PQ is
shown in the prism.
P red ray
Q
t
white ligh
screen
Fig. 6.1
(a) On Fig. 6.1, draw rays to complete the path of the red ray and the whole path of the
violet ray up to the point where they hit the screen. Label the violet ray. [3]
(b) The angle of incidence of the white light is increased to 40°. The refractive index of the
glass for the red light is 1.52.
Calculate the angle of refraction at P for the red light.
angle of refraction = ........................[3]
(c) State the approximate speed of
(i) the white light incident at P, speed = ........................ [1]
(ii) the red light after it leaves the prism at Q. speed = ........................ [1]
[Total : 8]
13
10 Fig. 6.1 shows a ray of light, from the top of an object PQ, passing through two
glass prisms.
P A B
Q
C
F E
Fig. 6.1
(a) Complete the path through the two prisms of the ray shown leaving Q. [1]
(b) A person looking into the lower prism, at the position indicated by the eye symbol, sees
an image of PQ.
State the properties of this image.
......................................................................................................................................[2]
(c) Explain why there is no change in direction of the ray from P at points A, C, D and F.
..........................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................[1]
(d) The speed of light as it travels from P to A is 3 × 108 m/s and the refractive index of the
prism glass is 1.5.
Calculate the speed of light in the prism.
speed = ........................[2]
(e) Explain why the ray AB reflects through 90° at B and does not pass out of the prism
at B.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................................[2]
[ Total : 8 ]
14
11 Fig. 6.1 shows a ray of light OPQ passing through a semi-circular glass
block.
O
30°
Fig. 6.1
(a) Explain why there is no change in the direction of the ray at P.
..........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) State the changes, if any, that occur to the speed, wavelength and frequency of the light
as it enters the glass block.
..........................................................................................................................................
..........................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................... [2]
15
(c) At Q some of the light in ray OPQ is reflected and some is refracted.
On Fig. 6.1, draw in the approximate positions of the reflected ray and the refracted ray.
Label these rays. [2]
(d) The refractive index for light passing from glass to air is 0.67.
Calculate the angle of refraction of the ray that is refracted at Q into air.
angle = ………………. [3]
[Total : 8 ]
16
