Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

|

Transverse & Longitudinal Waves (CIE AS Physics)

Topic Questions

1
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1 mark

The following statements are about waves. 

1

Waves can travel through free space

2

Waves can be polarised

3

Waves have a frequency inversely proportional to their wavelength

4

Waves have an intensity proportional to their amplitude

 Which ones would apply to both sound and light waves?

  • 3 only

  • 4 only

  • 1 and 4 

  • 1 and 2

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2
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1 mark

Ultraviolet waves have an order of magnitude of the frequency of the longest-wavelength of 10x Hz.

What is the value of x ?

  • 19

  • 17

  • 16

  • 13

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3
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1 mark

Which of the following statements shows that sound waves are longitudinal?

  • sound is diffracted around corners

  • sound is refracted as it passes from hot air to cold air

  • sound cannot be polarised

  • sound can be reflected from a solid surface

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4
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1 mark

Fig 1.1 shows a longitudinal wave.

cie-7-2-mcq-easy-q5

Fig. 1.1

Which label correctly shows the wavelength of a longitudinal wave?

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5
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1 mark

Which pair contains one transverse and one longitudinal wave?

A.

Water wave

Visible light

B.

X-ray

Ultrasound

C.

Primary (P) wave 

Sound wave

D.

Infrared wave

Vibration on a guitar string

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1
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1 mark

The graph shows two waves P and Q.

cie-ial-images338png

Wave P has an amplitude of 8 cm and a frequency 100 Hz.

 What is the amplitude and the frequency of wave Q?

 

Amplitude / cm

Frequency / Hz

A

B

C

D

4

4

2

2

300

33

300

33

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2
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1 mark

The graph below shows two sound waves, the sound wave is a series of moving pressure variations.

cie-ial-images339png

Wave 1 has an intensity of 1.6 × 10–6 W m–2, what is the intensity of wave 2 ?

  • 3.6 × 10–6 W m–2

  • 2.4 × 10–6 W m–2

  • 3.0 × 10–6 W m–2

  • 4.5 × 10–6 W m–2

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3
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1 mark

Fig 1.1 shows a displacement-distance graph of a transverse wave at t = 0 s. The wave is travelling at 64 ms-1.The wave is travelling at 64 ms-1. Particle R is marked at a position of 0.2 m. 

cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q3

Fig. 1.1

What would be the phase difference between the position of Particle R at t = 0 s and t = 0.034 s?

  • 7.0°

  • 49°

  • 100°

  • 260°

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4
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1 mark

A source emits a sound wave and moves away from an observer at a speed of 85 m s-1. Fig 1.1 shows the displacement-distance graph of the sound wave at the source.

75kUAiIF_cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q4

Fig. 1.1

What is the observed frequency of the sound wave?

The speed of sound, v = 340 ms-1

  • 1300 Hz

  • 1400 Hz

  • 1700 Hz

  • 2100 Hz

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5
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1 mark

Fig 1.1 shows two longitudinal waves, Wave A and Wave B, over time t. Wave A has an intensity of IA.

cie-7-2-mcq-hard-q5-cie-ial-physics

Fig. 1.1

What is the intensity of Wave B?

  • 1 fourth I subscript A

  • 1 half I subscript A

  • 2 I subscript A

  • 4 I subscript A

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1
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Sound travels with a speed of 330 m s–1 in air. The variation with time of the displacement of an air particle due to a sound wave is shown below.

cie-ial-images321png

Which of the following statements about the wave is correct?

  • the wavelength of the sound wave is 1.32 m

  • the graph shows that the sound is a transverse wave

  • the frequency of the wave is 500 Hz

  • the intensity of the wave will be doubled if its amplitude is increased to 0.4 mm

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2
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1 mark

The graph shows two light waves travelling at the same frequency.

cie-ial-images322png

Which of the following could be the phase difference between the two waves?

  • 330˚

  • 260˚

  • 220˚

  • 150˚

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3
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A wave is travelling through a medium at 24 m s–1 with a frequency of 15 Hz.

What is the phase difference between two points 2 m apart?

  • They are out of phase by half a cycle.

  • There is no phase difference.

  • They are out of phase by a quarter of a cycle.

  • They are out of phase by 0.8 of a cycle.

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4
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1 mark

What is the frequency, amplitude and period of the wave shown in the graph below, to 2 significant figures?

cie-ial-images331png

 

Period / s

Frequency / Hz

Amplitude / m

A

B

C

D

0.0042

0.0035

0.0031

0.0027

240

290

320

290

0.013

0.0065

0.013

0.0065

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5
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1 mark

The graph shows the displacement of a sound wave over time.

cie-ial-images333png 

When the intensity of the wave is halved, which graph shows the correct displacement of the wave ?

cie-ial-physics-images-7-1-m-q9-answer

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