General Properties of Waves (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Physics): Exam Questions

Exam code: 0625 & 0972

2 hours42 questions
1a
2 marks

A ray of light refracts as it travels from air into glass, as shown in Fig.7.1.

feb-march-2018-32-q7a

(i) State which angle w, x, y or z, is the angle of refraction.

[1]

 

(ii) Light is a transverse wave. State another example of a transverse wave.

[1]

1b
3 marks

Fig.7.2 represents some wavefronts approaching a barrier with a narrow gap.

feb-march-2018-32-q7b

(i) On Fig.7.2, draw three wavefronts that have passed through the gap.

[2]

 

(ii) State the name of the effect in (b)(i).

[1]

2
5 marks

Light and sound both travel as waves.

Draw a line from each statement to the correct term that describes it. One has been done for you.

cie-2019-11
3a
2 marks

Fig. 8.1 represents the pressure at one instant along part of a sound wave.

 

cie-2020-31-12

 

(i) Determine the wavelength of the sound wave.

 

 

wavelength of the sound wave = .................................................. cm [1]

 

(ii) On Fig. 8.1, draw a wave representing a louder sound of the same wavelength.

[1]

3b
2 marks

State the range of audible frequencies for a healthy human ear. Include the unit.

4a
2 marks

Complete the sentence which describes all waves.

 

Waves transfer ______ without transferring ______

4b
5 marks

Select suitable labels for Fig. 1 by selecting from the list below.

3-1-q4b-e-label-transverse-wave

Fig. 1

amplitude

crest

direction of oscillation

direction of travel of wave

frequency

time period

trough

wavelength

4c
2 marks

For two of the quantities in the previous answer, state the correct unit for

    

(i) Amplitude.

[1]

(ii) Wavelength.

[1]

4d
5 marks

A wave on a rope has a speed of 0.25 m/s and a time period of 2 seconds.

Calculate

(i) The frequency of the wave.

[2]

(ii) The wavelength of the wave.

[3]

5a
3 marks

For each label draw a straight line connecting it to the correct diagram.

3-1-q5a-e-waves-patterns-q
5b
2 marks

A wave of light is passing from air into a clear plastic prism. The wave is refracted.

State two changes which would make the angle of refraction inside the plastic prism increase.

5c
2 marks

Extended tier only

A water wave is passing through a gap and being diffracted.

State two changes which would make the amount of diffraction decrease.

5d
4 marks

Extended tier only

Fig. 1.1 shows a water wave meeting a barrier.

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Fig 1.1       

Complete the diagram to show the waves after they have passed the barrier.

1a
5 marks

Fig. 8.1 represents a travelling wave at an instant in time.

 

wave

(i) Determine the amplitude of the wave.

 

 

amplitude = .................................................. cm [1]

    

(ii) Determine the wavelength of the wave.

 

 

wavelength = .................................................. cm [2]

    

(iii) It takes 2.0 s for a source to emit the wave shown in Fig. 8.1.

  Calculate the frequency of the wave. 

 

 

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

 

1b
3 marks

Fig. 8.2 shows the main regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.

  

em-spectrum

(i) Two of the regions are not labelled.

Add the correct label to each of the unlabelled regions by writing in each box.

[2]

 

(ii) Describe one use of γ-rays.

[1]

2a
3 marks

Fig. 6.1 shows crests of a water wave moving from left to right in a harbour.

wall

   

(i) On Fig. 6.1, draw three more crests to the right of point A.

[2]

       

(ii) State the name of the wave process that occurs as the wave passes point A.

[1]

2b
5 marks

Fig. 6.2 shows the crests of another wave moving from left to right in a different part of the harbour. This wave moves from deep water to shallow water.

waves

(i) On Fig. 6.2, draw an arrow to show the direction of movement of the wave after it has passed into the shallow water.

[1]

      

(ii) State the name of the process that occurs as the wave passes into the shallow water.

[1]

  

(iii) Complete Table 6.1 to state whether each of the properties of the wave increases, decreases or stays the same as the wave passes into the shallow water.

table2

[3]

3a
3 marks

Fig. 6.1 represents a transverse wave drawn full size. Point X represents a point on the wave.

screenshot-2022-10-27-at-14-10-27

(i) On Fig. 6.1, mark clearly the directions in which point X moves.

[1]

 

(ii) Use Fig. 6.1 to measure the wavelength of the wave.

  

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

 

(iii) The frequency of the wave is increased. Describe how the wave pattern in Fig. 6.1 would be different.

[1]

3b
2 marks

(i) Place a tick in a box next to any transverse wave.

square  light

square  sound

square  radio

 [1]

 

(ii) State a type of wave that cannot travel in a vacuum.

[1]

4a
3 marks

Sound is a longitudinal wave.

Sketch a representation of a longitudinal wave. On your sketch

  • indicate and label a distance to show the wavelength,

  • mark and label the centre of one compression,

  • mark and label the centre of one rarefaction.

4b
2 marks

A longitudinal wave passes from one medium into another medium. The speed of the wave is slower in the second medium.

State what happens to

(i) the frequency of the wave

[1]

(ii) the wavelength of the wave.

[1]

4c
1 mark

State a typical value for the speed of sound in air.

5
3 marks

A ray of light travelling in air strikes a glass block at an angle of 30° to the normal. The light slows down as it enters the glass block.

State and explain, in terms of wavefronts, what happens to the light.

6a
1 mark

Fig. 7.1 shows a floating plastic ball attached by a long rope to a weight on the bottom of a lake. 

A water wave on the surface of the lake causes the ball to move vertically up and down.

Diagram of a wave with a ball on top, attached by a rope to a weight. Wave travels right; ball is 24 cm above wave crest. Labelled: Fig. 7.1.

On Fig. 7.1, show the wavelength of the wave. Label the distance W

6b
1 mark

Determine the amplitude of the wave. 

amplitude = ....................................................  cm

6c
2 marks

The ball reaches its maximum height 40 times in 60 seconds. Calculate the frequency of the wave.

frequency = ..................................................... Hz

6d
1 mark

Explain how the motion of the ball shows that the water wave is transverse. 

6e
1 mark

 State another example of a transverse wave.

7
3 marks

Fig. 8.2 represents some wavefronts approaching a barrier with a narrow gap.

Diagram showing wavefronts travelling towards a barrier with a narrow gap, illustrating the concept of wave diffraction. Labelled "Fig. 8.2".

On Fig. 8.2, draw three wavefronts that have passed through the gap.

8
2 marks

Fig. 7.1 shows the displacement of particles in a water wave

Graph of a sinusoidal wave plotted with displacement in cm on the vertical axis and distance in cm on the horizontal axis, labelled as Fig. 7.1.

Using the information in Fig. 7.1, determine: 

(i) the wavelength of the wave 

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

(ii) the amplitude of the wave. 

amplitude = ................................................... cm [1]

9a
Sme Calculator
2 marks

A student observes waves on the surface of water in a tank. The waves all have the same wavelength.

The student measures the wavelength of the waves by measuring the distance between one peak and the next peak.

Describe a more accurate method for determining the wavelength.

9b
3 marks

The wavelength of the waves is 4.0 cm and their frequency is 6.0 Hz.

Calculate the wave speed.

wave speed = ................................................ cm / s

9c
2 marks

 Fig. 6.1 shows water waves in the tank travelling from deep water to shallow water.

figure

State and explain what happens to the waves as they move from deep water to shallow water.

name of effect ..........................................................................................

explanation ...............................................................................................

1
4 marks

Describe a method of using water waves to demonstrate refraction.

2a
3 marks

Fig. 5.1 shows crests of a wave approaching a barrier where the wave is reflected.

 

may-june-2020-42-q5

On Fig. 5.1, draw three crests of the reflected wave.

2b
3 marks

The wave has a wavelength of 36 cm and a speed of 1.2 m/s.

  Calculate the frequency of the wave.

 

 

frequency = .........................................................

2c
2 marks

Complete the following sentences.

  An echo is the name for a reflected .................................................................. wave.

  The waves that form an echo are a type of longitudinal wave. Longitudinal waves are made up of .................................................................. and rarefactions.

3a
4 marks

Extended tier only

Fig. 6.1 shows wavefronts approaching a gap in a barrier.

 

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(i) On Fig. 6.1, draw three wavefronts to the right of the barrier.

[2]

 

(ii) Fig. 6.2 shows the gap in the barrier increased to five times the gap in Fig. 6.1.

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On Fig. 6.2, draw three wavefronts to the right of the barrier.

[2]

3b
4 marks

Describe, with a labelled diagram, an experiment using water waves that shows the reflection of wavefronts that occur at a straight barrier.

4a
3 marks

Green light of frequency 5.7 × 1014 Hz is travelling in air at a speed of 3.0 × 108 m/s. The light is incident on the surface of a transparent solid.

Fig. 6.1 shows the wavefronts and the direction of travel of the light in the air.

        

wavefronts

The light travels more slowly in the transparent solid.

Explain, in terms of the wavefronts, why the light changes direction as it enters the solid. You may draw on Fig. 6.1 as part of your answer.

4b
6 marks

Extended tier only

The refractive index of the transparent solid is 1.3.

                                                                                         

(i) The light is incident on the surface of the solid at an angle of incidence of 67°.

Calculate the angle of refraction of the light in the solid.

   

   

angle of refraction = ......................................................... [2]

    

(ii) Determine the wavelength of the green light in the transparent solid.

    

    

     wavelength = ......................................................... [4]

5
4 marks

A group of students want to determine the speed of sound in air.

Describe a method they can use. State the measurements they need to make.