CIE iGCSE Co-Ordinated Science P3.1 General properties of waves Exam Style Questions Paper 1
Question
The diagram shows a water wave seen from above.
One wavefront (crest) is made every 0.50 s.
What is the frequency of the wave and what is its wavelength?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans :C
Question
A water wave passes point Y.
A student counts how many wave crests pass point Y in 30 seconds.
Using only this information, what can the student calculate?
A the amplitude of the wave
B the frequency of the wave
C the speed of the wave
D the wavelength of the wave
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans : B
Question
What is the name of the distance between two consecutive crests of a water wave?
A amplitude
B frequency
C speed
D wavelength
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans : D
Question
The diagram represents a transverse wave.
Which labelled arrow represents the wavelength of the wave?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans: C
Question
A boy watches a water wave passing a boat that is floating on the sea.
Which single measurement allows the boy to be able to calculate the amplitude of the wave?
(A) the distance between one wave crest and the next
(B) the time taken for a wave crest to travel the length of the boat
(C) the time taken for the boat to move from its lowest point to its highest point
(D) the vertical distance between the highest point and the lowest point of the boat
▶Answer/Explanation
Ans : D
Question
Sound from a loudspeaker at P travels directly to Q. Sound also reaches Q after being reflected from a wall at R.
The speed of sound is 330 m/s.
What is the difference in time for sound to travel from P to Q by the two routes?
A. (6/330) s
B. (16/330) s
C. (6 × 330) s
D. (16 × 330) s
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: A
Explanation: The difference in distance between the two routes is 6 m. Using the formula time = distance/speed, the time difference is (6 m) / (330 m/s) = (6/330) s.
Question
A tank contains water. A wave is produced and travels across the surface of the water.
What is the maximum height of the water as the wave passes compared with the original level of the water?
A) the amplitude
B) the frequency
C) the speed
D) the wavelength
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: A) the amplitude
Explanation: The amplitude of a wave is the maximum displacement of the wave from its rest position. In this case, it is the maximum height of the water wave.
Question
Which wave diagram shows the amplitude X and the wavelength Y of a wave?
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: A. Diagram A
Explanation: Diagram A correctly shows the amplitude (X) as the maximum displacement from the equilibrium position and the wavelength (Y) as the distance between two consecutive wave crests or troughs.
Question
‘The number of crests on the surface of water that pass a particular point each second.’ Which property of a wave does this describe?
A. amplitude
B. frequency
C. speed
D. wavelength
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation: The number of crests passing a point each second is the frequency of the wave, which is measured in hertz (Hz).
Question
‘The maximum distance a particle on the surface of deep water moves from its rest position when a wave passes it.’ Which property of a wave does this describe?
A) amplitude
B) frequency
C) speed
D) wavelength
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: A) amplitude
Explanation: The amplitude of a wave is the maximum displacement of a particle from its rest position as the wave passes through it.
Question
Diagram 1 represents a wave.
Which diagram represents a wave with twice the frequency and half the amplitude of the wave in diagram 1?
The scales are the same in all the diagrams.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer: B
Explanation: A wave with twice the frequency will have more oscillations in the same time period, and half the amplitude will have a smaller peak-to-trough distance. Diagram B represents these changes.