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GCSE Physics · Topic Test
Waves
FREE Online Physics GCSE Course70minutes
66marks
12questions
How it works
- Answer each question. Type into the boxes or pick an option, and use paper for working and drawings.
- Press Check my answers at the end of the question. Tick-box and number answers are marked for you.
- For written answers, compare yours with the mark scheme and tick each point you made. We highlight the key words we spot, but you decide, just like an examiner.
Which course are you taking?
Pick one and the page skips the questions that aren’t on your course. Combined Science answers Questions 1–7 (37 marks, about 40 minutes). Physics (triple) answers all twelve (66 marks): Questions 8–12 cover ultrasound, lenses, black body radiation, colour and seismic waves.
You will need: paper, a pen, a pencil, a ruler and a calculator. Your answers save automatically in this browser.
1
Question 1
4 marksWater waves are transverse waves. Sound waves are longitudinal waves.
(a)
Explain the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.
(3 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
⚠️ “Up and down” and “side to side” aren’t enough. Compare the oscillations with the direction of energy transfer: perpendicular or parallel.
(b)
Name one type of wave that can be either transverse or longitudinal.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Wave: seismic (earthquake) waves (accept waves on a slinky / spring)
💡 Shock waves aren’t accepted. Think of the waves an earthquake makes.
💡 Sound is always longitudinal and light is always transverse.
2
Question 2
5 marksMost young people can hear sounds in the frequency range 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz.
(a)
Which statement best describes frequency?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: B the number of complete waves (vibrations) per second
(b)(i)
Diagram X shows a trace on an oscilloscope screen. Copy the screens onto paper.
Oscilloscope screens
On diagram Y, draw a trace which has a higher frequency than the trace in diagram X.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Compare your diagram Y with the gold trace above:
(b)(ii)
On diagram Z, draw a trace which has a larger amplitude than the trace in diagram X.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Compare your diagram Z with the gold trace above:
(c)(i)
A musical note with a high frequency sounds ______ than one with a low frequency.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: A
(c)(ii)
A sound with a small amplitude sounds ______ than one with a large amplitude.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: D
3
Question 3
8 marksThe diagram shows a water wave drawn on a grid of 1 cm squares.
A water wave (each square is 1 cm × 1 cm)
(a)
What is the wavelength of this water wave?
cm
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Wavelength: 4 cm
💡 That’s only half a wave. A wavelength is from one crest to the next crest.
💡 That’s the whole grid: three waves. Measure one wave.
(b)
What is the amplitude of this water wave?
cm
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Amplitude: 2 cm
💡 That’s crest to trough. Amplitude is from the middle (rest position, the dashed line) to a crest.
(c)
Twelve waves pass an observer in four seconds. What is the frequency of the waves? Give the unit.
(3 marks)
Mark scheme
Frequency: 3
💡 Upside down. Frequency = number of waves ÷ time = 12 ÷ 4.
💡 You multiplied. Frequency = number of waves ÷ time.
Unit: Hz
Final answer not right? You can still earn method marks. Tick each step you wrote down (max 1):
(d)
Calculate the speed of the water wave, in metres per second.
m/s
(3 marks)
Mark scheme
Speed: 0.12 m/s (error carried forward from (a) and (c) allowed)
💡 Right sum, wrong unit: 12 is in cm/s. Change 4 cm into metres first (0.04 m). 12 cm/s scores 2 marks.
💡 You divided. Wave speed = frequency × wavelength.
💡 You divided. Wave speed = frequency × wavelength.
Final answer not right? You can still earn method marks. Tick each step you wrote down (max 2):
4
Question 4
4 marksInfrared and microwaves are two types of electromagnetic radiation. The diagram shows where they are in part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Part of the electromagnetic spectrum
(a)
Name one type of electromagnetic radiation which has more energy than infrared.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Radiation: any one of: visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays
💡 Radio waves and microwaves have less energy than infrared: they have longer wavelengths.
(b)
The wavelength of infrared is ______ the wavelength of microwaves.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: B
The frequency of microwaves is ______ the frequency of infrared.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: B
The speed of microwaves in a vacuum is ______ the speed of infrared in a vacuum.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: C
5
Question 5
4 marksDifferent types of electromagnetic radiation are used for different jobs.
Choose the type of radiation used for each job.
(4 marks)
Mark scheme
to send along optical fibres in an endoscope: light
to give skin a tan (but can cause cancer in cells): ultraviolet
to sterilise surgical instruments: gamma rays
to send information to and from satellites: microwaves
6
Question 6
9 marksDifferent parts of the electromagnetic spectrum are useful for different methods of communication.
The diagram shows a transmitter sending out two electromagnetic waves, L and M. Copy it onto paper for part (c).
Waves L and M
(a)(i)
Wave L is used to send a signal to a satellite. Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum does wave L belong to?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Wave L: microwaves
💡 Radio waves are reflected by the ionosphere (like wave M). Satellites use waves that pass straight through it.
(a)(ii)
What name is given to the process that happens as wave L passes into the ionosphere?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Process: refraction
💡 Reflection sends a wave back. Wave L goes on through, but changes direction.
💡 Diffraction is spreading out through a gap. L changes direction as it enters a new medium.
(b)
Explain what this process is and what causes it.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(c)(i)
Wave M is reflected by the ionosphere. On your copy of the diagram, draw the path of wave M until it reaches the receiver.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Compare your drawing with the gold path above:
(c)(ii)
Draw a line to show the normal where wave M meets the ionosphere. Label the line N.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Compare with the dashed gold line N above:
(d)
Give two properties of all electromagnetic waves.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Any two of these score (max 2):
⚠️ “Travel in straight lines” doesn’t score.
7
Question 7
3 marksThe picture shows a tennis coach using a speed gun to measure how fast a player serves the ball.
The speed gun
(a)
The microwaves sent out by the speed gun have a frequency of 24 GHz and travel through the air at 3 × 108 m/s. Calculate the wavelength of the microwaves.
m
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Wavelength: 0.0125 m (1.25 × 10−2 m)
💡 You used 24 as 24 Hz. 24 GHz = 24 × 109 Hz.
💡 Check the giga: 24 GHz = 24 × 109 Hz (you used 106).
💡 Upside down: λ = v ÷ f.
💡 You multiplied. λ = v ÷ f.
Final answer not right? You can still earn method marks. Tick each step you wrote down (max 1):
(b)
Some of the microwaves are absorbed by the ball. What effect will the absorbed microwaves have on the ball?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
⚠️ “Cooks it” isn’t accepted. Say it makes the ball hotter.
8
Question 8
Physics (triple) only7 marksSkip this one. It is only on the Physics (triple) course, so it isn’t in your score.
A high-frequency signal generator is connected to a loudspeaker. A microphone connected to an oscilloscope detects the sound from the loudspeaker. The diagram shows the trace on the oscilloscope.
The oscilloscope trace
(a)(i)
How many waves are produced by the loudspeaker in 0.0001 seconds?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Waves: 3
(a)(ii)
How many waves are produced by the loudspeaker every second?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Waves per second: 30 000 (or 10 000 × your (a)(i))
💡 You multiplied by 0.0001. There are 10 000 lots of 0.0001 s in one second.
(a)(iii)
A person with normal hearing cannot hear the sound produced by the loudspeaker. Explain why.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Any two of these score (max 2):
⚠️ It’s not about loudness: it’s the frequency that’s out of range.
(b)(i)
An ultrasound transmitter and detector are fixed to the front of a metal block. The block has a crack inside it.
Testing a metal block
The detector’s trace
Explain why pulse A and pulse B happen.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
⚠️ “Bounces” isn’t enough. Use the word reflected (or echo).
(b)(ii)
The metal block is 120 mm from front to back. What is the distance from the front of the block to the crack?
mm
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Distance: 90 mm (A is 6 squares from the transmitted pulse, B is 8: 6 ÷ 8 × 120)
💡 No need to halve. B is the echo from the back (120 mm), so the times for A and B are both there-and-back already.
💡 Count the squares: A is 6 squares after the transmitted pulse, B is 8. So the crack is 6/8 of the way back.
9
Question 9
Physics (triple) only8 marksSkip this one. It is only on the Physics (triple) course, so it isn’t in your score.
A student investigated how the image formed by a converging lens depends on where the object is. The diagram shows one position of the object. Copy it onto squared paper: the lens is 3 squares from the object, each F is 2 squares from the lens and the object is 2 squares tall.
Ray diagram
(a)
Use a ruler to complete a ray diagram to show how the image of the object is formed.
(4 marks)
Mark scheme
Any two rays from the top of the object score 1 mark each: through the centre of the lens (no bending); parallel to the axis, then through F on the right; through F on the left, then parallel to the axis. Then 1 mark for the image (a vertical line from the axis to where the rays cross) and 1 mark for an arrow showing the ray direction. Rays drawn without a ruler lose 1 mark; dashed rays don’t score.
Which describes your diagram best?
(b)
Describe the nature of this image compared with the object.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Any two of these score (a wrong feature cancels a right one) (max 2):
⚠️ Careful: virtual, upright or smaller are wrong here, and a wrong feature cancels a correct one.
(c)
Use the equation to calculate the magnification produced by the lens in your diagram.
magnification = image height ÷ object height
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Magnification: 2 (4 squares ÷ 2 squares; or your image height ÷ object height)
💡 Upside down: image height ÷ object height.
Final answer not right? You can still earn method marks. Tick each step you wrote down (max 1):
10
Question 10
Physics (triple) only5 marksSkip this one. It is only on the Physics (triple) course, so it isn’t in your score.
(a)
A body radiates energy at the same rate as it absorbs energy. What happens to its temperature? Explain your answer.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(b)
The graph shows the intensity of the radiation given out by a black body, at each wavelength, at two different temperatures.
Black body radiation
Describe two ways in which the radiation from the black body changes when its temperature increases.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(c)
A black body that is much hotter than 3000 °C can look blue. Suggest why.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
11
Question 11
Physics (triple) only5 marksSkip this one. It is only on the Physics (triple) course, so it isn’t in your score.
Peter has a white tennis ball and a green tennis ball. He shines white light through a red filter onto each ball.
(a)(i)
Experiment 1
The white ball looks red. Explain why.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(a)(ii)
Experiment 2
What colour does the green ball look?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Colour: black
💡 There is no green light left after the red filter, so there is nothing green to reflect.
💡 A green ball doesn’t reflect red light.
Explain your answer.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(b)
Peter cuts three holes in a piece of card. He covers two of the holes with coloured filters. He puts a red filter between the card and a white screen, and shines white light at the card.
The card and the screen
What does Peter see on the screen?
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
12
Question 12
Physics (triple) only4 marksSkip this one. It is only on the Physics (triple) course, so it isn’t in your score.
Earthquakes produce seismic waves.
(a)
Which row of the table is correct for P-waves and S-waves?
| P-waves are | S-waves are | |
|---|---|---|
| A | longitudinal | transverse |
| B | transverse | longitudinal |
| C | longitudinal | longitudinal |
| D | transverse | transverse |
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Answer: A
(b)(i)
The chart shows how the speed of P-waves changes with depth below the Earth’s surface.
P-waves inside the Earth
State what happens to a P-wave when it crosses from the mantle into the core.
(1 mark)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
(b)(ii)
Describe how the speed of a P-wave changes between a depth of 1000 km and 2500 km.
(2 marks)
Mark scheme
Tick each marking point your answer makes:
Your results
0 / 66
| Question | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q5 | Q6 | Q7 | Q8 | Q9 | Q10 | Q11 | Q12 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Out of | 4 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 66 |
| Your mark | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
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