Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science · P4

Waves

50 revision questions with answers for P4 Waves in Pearson Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (spec 1SC0). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below. Not official Pearson material.

All 50 questions and answers

Question 1 · Spec P4.1
What do waves transfer without transferring matter overall?
Answer:
Energy and information.
Question 2 · Spec P4.2
How can a floating object demonstrate wave motion?
Answer:
It oscillates around a position while the ripple and energy travel across the water.
Question 3 · Spec P4.2
How do air particles move when sound passes?
Answer:
They vibrate locally back and forth rather than travelling from the source to the listener.
Question 4 · Spec P4.3
Define wavelength.
Answer:
Distance between equivalent points on successive waves, such as crest to crest.
Question 5 · Spec P4.3
Define frequency and state its unit.
Answer:
The number of complete waves passing a point each second, measured in hertz.
Question 6 · Spec P4.4
Define amplitude.
Answer:
Maximum displacement from the undisturbed position.
Question 7 · Spec P4.4
Define period.
Answer:
Time taken for one complete oscillation or wave cycle.
Question 8 · Spec P4.4
What is wave velocity?
Answer:
The speed and direction in which the wave disturbance or energy travels.
Question 9 · Spec P4.4
What is a wavefront?
Answer:
A line or surface joining points at the same stage of oscillation, such as a line of crests.
Question 10 · Spec P4.5
Distinguish transverse and longitudinal waves.
Answer:
Oscillations are perpendicular to travel in transverse waves and parallel in longitudinal waves.
Question 11 · Spec P4.5
Give examples of transverse waves.
Answer:
Electromagnetic waves, water-surface ripples in the GCSE model and seismic S waves.
Question 12 · Spec P4.5
Give examples of longitudinal waves.
Answer:
Sound in air and seismic P waves.
Question 13 · Spec P4.5
What are compressions and rarefactions?
Answer:
Regions of closer and more widely spaced particles in a longitudinal wave.
Question 14 · Spec P4.3
How is wavelength measured on a longitudinal-wave diagram?
Answer:
Between the centres of neighbouring compressions or neighbouring rarefactions.
Question 15 · Spec P4.6
State the wave equation.
Answer:
Wave speed = frequency x wavelength, v = fλ.
Question 16 · Spec P4.6
State the speed equation using distance and time.
Answer:
Wave speed = distance travelled / time taken.
Question 17 · Spec P4.6
Find speed for frequency 5 Hz and wavelength 0.40 m.
Answer:
5 × 0.40 = 2.0 m/s.
Question 18 · Spec P4.6
Find wavelength for speed 12 m/s and frequency 30 Hz.
Answer:
12/30 = 0.40 m.
Question 19 · Spec P4.6
Find frequency for speed 330 m/s and wavelength 1.5 m.
Answer:
330/1.5 = 220 Hz.
Question 20 · Spec P4.6
A ripple travels 0.60 m in 2.0 s. Find speed.
Answer:
0.60/2.0 = 0.30 m/s.
Question 21 · Spec P4.3
Twenty waves pass in 5.0 s. Find frequency.
Answer:
20/5.0 = 4.0 Hz.
Question 22 · Spec P4.4
A source makes 25 oscillations in 10 s. Find period.
Answer:
10/25 = 0.40 s per oscillation.
Question 23 · Spec P4.6
At fixed speed, what happens to wavelength if frequency doubles?
Answer:
It halves, maintaining the same product fλ.
Question 24 · Spec P4.6
A wave has wavelength 25 cm and frequency 8 Hz. Find speed.
Answer:
25 cm = 0.25 m; speed = 8 × 0.25 = 2.0 m/s.
Question 25 · Spec P4.7
How can two microphones measure sound speed?
Answer:
Measure microphone separation and the delay for the same sound to reach them; divide distance by time.
Question 26 · Spec P4.7
Why use a large enough microphone separation?
Answer:
A longer travel time reduces the relative effect of timing uncertainty.
Question 27 · Spec P4.7
Sound takes 0.010 s to travel 3.3 m. Find speed.
Answer:
3.3/0.010 = 330 m/s.
Question 28 · Spec P4.7
How can ripples' speed be measured directly?
Answer:
Measure the distance a crest travels and its travel time, then calculate distance/time.
Question 29 · Spec P4.10
What is refraction?
Answer:
A change in wave direction as a wave crosses a boundary into a different medium, except at normal incidence.
Question 30 · Spec P4.10
How is the normal drawn at a boundary?
Answer:
Perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.
Question 31 · Spec P4.10 · Higher only
Why can a wave bend when crossing obliquely into another medium?
Answer:
Its speed changes, causing different parts of the wavefront to change speed at different times.
Question 32 · Spec P4.10 · Higher only
How do frequency and wavelength change when wave speed decreases?
Answer:
Frequency remains the same; wavelength decreases.
Question 33 · Spec P4.10 · Higher only
Which way does a wave bend on entering a slower medium obliquely?
Answer:
Towards the normal.
Question 34 · Spec P4.11 · Higher only
Why might a material transmit one wavelength but absorb another?
Answer:
Its interaction with waves depends on wavelength and the material's properties.
Question 35 · Spec P4.11 · Higher only
Distinguish absorption, transmission and reflection.
Answer:
Absorption transfers energy into the material; transmission passes through; reflection returns the wave from a boundary.
Question 36 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
What measurements determine ripple speed indirectly?
Answer:
Frequency and wavelength, followed by v = fλ.
Question 37 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
How can ripple wavelength be measured more accurately?
Answer:
Measure several wavelengths in a clear pattern and divide by their number.
Question 38 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
Why account for projection magnification in a ripple-tank image?
Answer:
The projected spacing may differ from the actual wavelength in the water.
Question 39 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
How can frequency be determined from a video of ripples?
Answer:
Count complete oscillations in a measured time and divide the count by time.
Question 40 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
What can a strobe or paused recording help measure?
Answer:
A clear apparently stationary pattern makes wavelength easier to measure.
Question 41 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
How can a vibrating string represent waves in a solid?
Answer:
A mechanical source drives oscillations along the string; its frequency and wave spacing can be measured.
Question 42 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
In a standing pattern, how is adjacent-node spacing related to wavelength?
Answer:
Adjacent nodes are separated by half a wavelength.
Question 43 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
Adjacent string nodes are 0.20 m apart. Find wavelength.
Answer:
Wavelength = 2 × 0.20 = 0.40 m.
Question 44 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
A string vibrates at 50 Hz with wavelength 0.40 m. Find speed.
Answer:
50 × 0.40 = 20 m/s.
Question 45 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
Why keep string tension constant when comparing repeated measurements?
Answer:
Tension changes wave speed and therefore wavelength for a given frequency.
Question 46 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
What makes a ruler suitable for wavelength measurement?
Answer:
The wavelength should be large enough relative to its resolution, with a clear pattern and correct alignment.
Question 47 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
Why measure several periods rather than timing one short oscillation?
Answer:
It reduces the relative effect of start-stop timing uncertainty.
Question 48 · Spec P4.17 · Core practical
Why repeat wave measurements and calculate a mean?
Answer:
To assess variation and reduce the influence of random errors.
Question 49 · Spec P4.6
Why are frequency, wavelength and speed not independent in one medium?
Answer:
They are linked by v = fλ; changing one constrains the others.
Question 50 · Spec P4.1
Why can a wave carry a signal without carrying particles from source to receiver?
Answer:
Information is encoded in the travelling disturbance while medium particles only oscillate locally.

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