3A. All (1-2+EP) (2)

3A.
1 Wave basics
1. What are the amplitudes of the three waves shown in fig E?
Graphs from top to bottom: 0.2 m, 80 m, 5.5 m

2. Sound travels at 330 m s-1 in air. If the sound of thunder arrives 3.75 s after the lightning flash is
seen, how far away was the lightning strike?
v = 330 m s-1, Δt = 3.75 s
d = v t = 330 m s-1 × 3.75 s = 1240 m
3. Ultraviolet light has a wavelength of 368 nm. What is the frequency of this light?
λ = 368 nm = 368 × 10-9 m, v = 3 × 108 ms-1

v=fλ
v 3 108
f= = = 8.15 × 1014 Hz
 368 10−9
4. Explain why the two equations for wave speed are actually the same calculation.
Ans: As frequency is defined as the number of waves per second, multiplying frequency by wavelength is
equivalent to dividing a distance by a time.
5. Estimate the speed of the waves the last time you saw the sea.
Ans: Students’ own answers, using v = f λ:
e.g. estimated wavelength is 5 m; estimated frequency is 1 wave every 3 seconds, so f = 0.33 Hz
v = f λ = 0.33 × 5 = 1.7 m s−1
3A.2 Wave types
1 . What are the amplitudes and the wavelengths of the spring waves shown in fig C?
amplitude = 0.5 cm and wavelength = 4.0 cm
2. (a) Explain why a seismic S-wave should be classified as a transverse wave.

(b) Describe a seismic P-wave in terms of the pressure variations and displacement of the rock
particles.
Ans: (a) The oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy travel.
(b) P-waves are longitudinal.
Rock particles oscillate back and forth in the same line as the direction of the energy travel,
causing regions of higher pressure (compressions) and regions of lower pressure (rarefactions).
3. Referring to fig G, explain why sounds with a greater amplitude sound louder.
3 Greater amplitudes of displacement cause greater pressure variations. These affect the parts of the
ear to a greater degree, and the brain interprets this as increased loudness.
3A Exam practice
5 A sound wave pulse-echo technique can be used to find the thickness of old railway lines. A probe
emitted a sound pulse into a steel rail and detected the echo. The pulse and its echo are shown on the
oscilloscope trace below.
The sound waves used have a frequency of 3.8 MHz and the speed of sound in this steel is 5900 m s-1.
(a) Explain why the echo has a smaller amplitude than the emitted pulse. [2]
(b) Calculate the thickness of this steel rail. [3]
(Total for Question 5 = 5 marks)
6 Frequencies below the audible range for humans are called infrasound. Infrasound is produced by
earthquakes.
(a) Describe how sound waves travel through air [3]
(b) State what is meant by frequency. [1]
(c) An infrasound wave has a wavelength of 1500 m and a frequency of 2.0 Hz. Calculate the speed
of infrasound in the ground. [2]
(d) In 2004, a huge earthquake produced a very large tidal wave which swept across the Indian
Ocean towards Sri Lanka. Many large animals in Sri Lanka moved away from the coast before
the tidal wave hit. Suggest a reason for the animals behaving in this way. [2]
(a) Vibration of air molecules

Longitudinal waves
The vibration is parallel to the direction of wave travel
(b) Frequency is the number of vibration / oscillation of wave per second.
(c) wavelength of 1500 m, frequency of 2.0 Hz,

speed = frequency x wavelength = 2.0 Hz x 1500 m = 3000 m s−1
(d) Large animals can detect infrasound which is produced by earthquakes.
The speed of infra sound is greater than that of tidal wave.
7. A London radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 95.8 MHz.
Calculate the wavelength in the air of these radio waves. [3]
frequency of 95.8 MHz, speed of light = 3 x 108 ms/s.

8 (a) Ultrasound has a frequency above the limit of human hearing. Ultrasound scanning can be used by
doctors to obtain information about the internal structures of the human body without the need for
surgery. Pulses of ultrasound are sent into the body from a transmitter placed on the skin.
(i) The ultrasound used has a frequency of 4.5 MHz. State why waves of this frequency are called
ultrasound. [1]
(ii) A pulse of ultrasound enters the body and its reflection returns to the transmitter after a total
time of 1.6 x 10-4 s. Calculate how far the reflecting surface is below the skin. Average speed of
ultrasound in the body = 1500 m s-1 [3]
(iii) State why the ultrasound is transmitted in pulses. [1]
(b) Another way of obtaining information about the internal structures of the human body is by the use
of X-rays.
(i) Give one property of X-rays which makes them more hazardous to use than ultrasound. [1]
(ii) State two other differences between X-rays and ultrasound. [2]
(i) They are above the audible frequency.
(ii) The ultrasound is transmitted in pulses to receive the reflected sound wave from the target in
sufficient time before the next pule is transmitted.
(i) X-rays can cause ionizing the cell/ can cause cancer/mutation/ damage DNA
X Ultrasound
Transverse Longitudinal
No need medium Need medium
Can travel through vacuum Cannot travel through vacuum.
Electromagnetic Mechanical
Shorter wavelength Longer wavelength
Higher frequency Lower frequency
9 The diagram shows an experiment with sound waves.
A loudspeaker is connected to a signal generator. A microphone is connected to a twin beam

oscilloscope. Sound waves reach the microphone directly from the loudspeaker and after reflection
from the metal plate.
A student set up the apparatus as shown in an attempt to measure the speed of sound by comparing
the two traces on the oscilloscope screen. However. only one of the traces showed a sound wave
whilst the other was a flat line.
(a) Describe and explain the difference in amplitude of the sound waves reaching the
microphone directly and those reaching it after reflection from the metal plate. [2]
(b) (i) Why does only one trace on the oscilloscope show the sound wave? [1]
(ii) Describe how the student should change the experimental set up in order to be able to
measure the speed of sound. [1]
(iii) Explain how the student could use the new set up to find the speed of sound in air. Include
measurements. experimental adjustments. how to analyse the results to find the speed of
sound, and why they should also remove the metal plate. [6]
(c) With the frequency set at 3.7 kHz, the wavelength is measured as 9.0 cm. Calculate the
speed of sound in air. [2]
(b) (i) There is only one microphone
(ii) add an second microphone
Firstly, with both microphones at the same distance from the loudspeaker,
Set the signal generator at known frequency
the two traces appear in phase
slide the second microphone slowly away from the loudspeaker until the traces in phase again with each
other
At this point, the distance between the two microphones is exactly one wavelength
the wave equation can be used to find the speed: v = f λ.
9 (a) After reflection, amplitude is reduced
Because the sound has lost some energy/become more spread out
(b) (i) There is only one microphone

(ii) Add a second microphone (attached to the oscilloscope)
(iii) Maximum 6 from:
Set the signal generator to a known frequency, f
Place both microphones the same distance from the loudspeaker
Move one microphone further from the loudspeaker until the two traces have gone
(out of phase and then) back again to being in phase
Measure the distance between the two microphones.
This distance equals the wavelength, λ
Calculate speed from v = f λ
The metal plate will introduce reflections/echoes which will confuse the trace
comparisons
(c) 3700 × 0.09 = 333 (m/s)

3A. All (1-2+EP) (2)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

3A. All (1-2+EP) (2)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

3A. All (1-2+EP) (2)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

3A.

Graphs from top to bottom: 0.2 m, 80 m, 5.5 m

λ = 368 nm = 368 × 10-9 m, v = 3 × 108 ms-1

amplitude = 0.5 cm and wavelength = 4.0 cm

2. (a) Explain why a seismic S-wave should be classified as a transverse wave.

(a) Vibration of air molecules

(b) Frequency is the number of vibration / oscillation of wave per second.

(c) wavelength of 1500 m, frequency of 2.0 Hz,

frequency of 95.8 MHz, speed of light = 3 x 108 ms/s.

A loudspeaker is connected to a signal generator. A microphone is connected to a twin beam

(b) (i) There is only one microphone

(c) 3700 × 0.09 = 333 (m/s)

You might also like