AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy · 6.6

Waves

50 revision questions with answers for 6.6 Waves in AQA GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy (spec 8464). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official AQA material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec 6.6.1.1
What is a transverse wave?
Answer:
A wave in which oscillations are perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.
Question 2 · Spec 6.6.1.1
What is a longitudinal wave?
Answer:
A wave in which oscillations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.
Question 3 · Spec 6.6.1.1
Give one transverse and one longitudinal wave example.
Answer:
Water-surface ripples are modelled as transverse; sound in air is longitudinal.
Question 4 · Spec 6.6.1.1
What are compressions and rarefactions?
Answer:
Compressions are regions where particles are closer together; rarefactions are regions where particles are farther apart.
Question 5 · Spec 6.6.1.1
How can a floating object show that waves do not carry the water along overall?
Answer:
It oscillates around its position as ripples pass, while the wave transfers energy across the surface.
Question 6 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Define amplitude.
Answer:
The maximum displacement of a point from its undisturbed position.
Question 7 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Define wavelength.
Answer:
The distance between corresponding points on neighbouring waves, such as crest to crest or compression to compression.
Question 8 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Define frequency and give its unit.
Answer:
The number of complete waves passing a point each second, measured in hertz, Hz.
Question 9 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Define period and state its equation.
Answer:
The time for one complete oscillation. T = 1/f.
Question 10 · Spec 6.6.1.2
A wave has frequency 50 Hz. Find its period.
Answer:
T = 1 / 50 = 0.020 s.
Question 11 · Spec 6.6.1.2
State the wave-speed equation.
Answer:
v = f x wavelength; speed in m/s, frequency in Hz and wavelength in m.
Question 12 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Find the speed of a wave with frequency 4.0 Hz and wavelength 0.75 m.
Answer:
v = 4.0 × 0.75 = 3.0 m/s.
Question 13 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Sound travels at 330 m/s at 660 Hz. Find wavelength.
Answer:
Wavelength = speed / frequency = 330 / 660 = 0.50 m.
Question 14 · Spec 6.6.1.2
At fixed wave speed, what happens to wavelength when frequency doubles?
Answer:
Wavelength halves, because speed = frequency x wavelength.
Question 15 · Spec 6.6.1.2 · Required practical
How can ripple-tank wavelength be measured more accurately?
Answer:
Measure across several complete wavelengths in a clear pattern and divide by their number, accounting for image scale if projected.
Question 16 · Spec 6.6.1.2 · Required practical
How can ripple-tank wave speed be calculated?
Answer:
Measure wavelength and use the known or measured frequency, then calculate v = f x wavelength.
Question 17 · Spec 6.6.1.2 · Required practical
How can waves in a solid string be used to measure wavelength?
Answer:
Produce a steady wave pattern and measure distances between equivalent points; for a standing pattern, adjacent nodes are half a wavelength apart.
Question 18 · Spec 6.6.1.2
How can the speed of sound in air be measured with two microphones?
Answer:
Measure their separation and the time delay between the same sound reaching them; calculate speed = distance / time.
Question 19 · Spec 6.6.1.2
Why can increasing microphone separation reduce relative timing uncertainty?
Answer:
The travel time is longer, so a fixed timing uncertainty is a smaller fraction of the measurement.
Question 20 · Spec 6.6.2.1
What do all electromagnetic waves have in common?
Answer:
They are transverse, transfer energy and travel at the same speed in a vacuum.
Question 21 · Spec 6.6.2.1
List the electromagnetic spectrum from longest to shortest wavelength.
Answer:
Radio, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays.
Question 22 · Spec 6.6.2.1
How does frequency change from radio waves to gamma rays?
Answer:
It increases as wavelength decreases.
Question 23 · Spec 6.6.2.1
Which part of the spectrum can human eyes detect?
Answer:
Visible light, from red at longer wavelengths to violet at shorter wavelengths.
Question 24 · Spec 6.6.2.1
What is the approximate speed of electromagnetic waves in a vacuum?
Answer:
3.0 × 10⁸ m/s.
Question 25 · Spec 6.6.2.1
An electromagnetic wave has wavelength 0.10 m. Use v = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s to find frequency.
Answer:
f = v / wavelength = 3.0 × 10⁹ Hz.
Question 26 · Spec 6.6.2.2
How should a ray diagram show refraction into a medium where the ray bends towards the normal?
Answer:
Draw the normal perpendicular to the boundary and show the refracted ray at a smaller angle to it than the incident ray.
Question 27 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Higher only
Why does refraction occur when a wave crosses obliquely into a different medium?
Answer:
Its speed changes at the boundary, so different parts of the wavefront change speed at different times, changing direction.
Question 28 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Higher only
What happens to speed, wavelength and frequency when light enters a slower medium?
Answer:
Speed and wavelength decrease; frequency remains unchanged.
Question 29 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Higher only
Why can the same material transmit one electromagnetic wavelength but absorb another?
Answer:
Its interaction with electromagnetic radiation depends on wavelength.
Question 30 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Required practical
How can infrared absorption by surfaces be compared?
Answer:
Expose comparable differently finished surfaces to the same infrared source; measure temperature rise while controlling distance, time and starting temperature.
Question 31 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Required practical
Which surfaces are usually good infrared absorbers and emitters?
Answer:
Dark, matt surfaces; shiny, light surfaces are generally poorer absorbers and emitters.
Question 32 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Required practical
How can emission from different surfaces of a Leslie cube be compared?
Answer:
Fill it with hot water and compare detector readings at equal distances from each face, using the same angle and conditions.
Question 33 · Spec 6.6.2.2 · Required practical
Why keep an infrared detector the same distance from each test surface?
Answer:
Detected radiation changes with distance, so unequal distances would confound the surface comparison.
Question 34 · Spec 6.6.2.3 · Higher only
How can radio waves be generated?
Answer:
By oscillations in electrical circuits.
Question 35 · Spec 6.6.2.3 · Higher only
What can happen when radio waves are absorbed by an aerial circuit?
Answer:
They can induce an alternating current with the same frequency as the incoming radio wave.
Question 36 · Spec 6.6.2.3
How can atoms generate or absorb electromagnetic waves?
Answer:
Changes in electron energy levels can emit or absorb radiation; nuclear changes can generate gamma rays.
Question 37 · Spec 6.6.2.3
What health effects can excessive ultraviolet exposure cause?
Answer:
Premature skin ageing and increased risk of skin cancer.
Question 38 · Spec 6.6.2.3
Why can X-rays and gamma rays increase cancer risk?
Answer:
They are ionising and can damage DNA, causing mutations that may lead to cancer.
Question 39 · Spec 6.6.2.3
What two factors affect the hazard from electromagnetic exposure?
Answer:
The type of radiation and the dose received; exposure conditions also affect the risk.
Question 40 · Spec 6.6.2.3
Given 1 Sv = 1,000 mSv, convert 0.025 Sv to mSv.
Answer:
0.025 × 1,000 = 25 mSv. The conversion is supplied; recalling the dose unit is not required.
Question 41 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give a common use of radio waves.
Answer:
Radio and television communication.
Question 42 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give two common uses of microwaves.
Answer:
Satellite communications and cooking food.
Question 43 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give three uses of infrared radiation.
Answer:
Electrical heaters, cooking food and infrared cameras.
Question 44 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give a communication use of visible light.
Answer:
Fibre-optic communication.
Question 45 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give two listed uses of ultraviolet radiation.
Answer:
Energy-efficient lamps and sun tanning.
Question 46 · Spec 6.6.2.4
Give uses of X-rays and gamma rays.
Answer:
Medical imaging and medical treatments.
Question 47 · Spec 6.6.2.4 · Higher only
Why are microwaves suitable for satellite communications?
Answer:
They can pass through the atmosphere to communicate with satellites.
Question 48 · Spec 6.6.2.4 · Higher only
Why are infrared cameras useful for observing warm objects?
Answer:
Warm objects emit infrared radiation; detecting it reveals temperature differences even without visible illumination.
Question 49 · Spec 6.6.2.4 · Higher only
Why are X-rays useful in imaging bones?
Answer:
They pass through soft tissue more readily than through bone, producing a contrast pattern at the detector.
Question 50 · Spec 6.6.2.4 · Higher only
Why can gamma radiation be useful in cancer treatment?
Answer:
Its ionising effect can kill cancer cells, although exposure must be directed to limit damage to healthy tissue.

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