GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 1
(a) Recall of formula:
Speed = frequency wavelength
Substitution of figures and correct answer
= 1000 0.34
= 340 (m/s)

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1

(b) Correct rearrangement or recall of formula

Wavelength = speed/ frequency
Correct substitution of figures and correct answer
= 1300/1000
=1.3 (m)

ctiv

e.c

(c) Understanding that 0.2s is return so 0.1s is time to shoal

Recall of formula
distance =speed time
Correct substitution of both speed and time
=1300 0.1
=130m

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1
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(e) Monitoring babies/ Cleaning small parts

QUESTIONSHEET 2

TOTAL / 10

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(d) Sounds greater than 20,000 Hz (20kHz) higher frequency

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(a) Any two reasons:

Same speed.
Travel through a vacuum.
Only accept transverse waves if also written of electric and magnetic fields.

(b) Ultra violet-any value between X-rays (5x 10-10)

and Visible (5 10-7)
Infra red-value between 10-4 and 5 10-7
Do not accept a value close to microwaves.

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1

(c) Gamma rays (a small wavelength means a large frequency)

(d) Recall and rearrangement of the formula to give

Frequency = Speed/Wavelength
= 6 1017 (Hz)

(e) Recall and rearrangement of the formula to give

Distance = Speed x time
Conversion of 8 minutes to seconds = 510seconds
= 1.53 1011 (m)
Or =153,000,000,000 (m)

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TOTAL / 10

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 3
(a) (i)

distance = speed /time

= 340 / 0.7
= 485.7 or 486 m / 2
= 243 m

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1
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time is too short to measure accurately

difficult to clap and time

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1

(iii)

have second person timing

time several claps and echoes

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(b) (i)

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(ii)

speed = frequency x wavelength

= 150 000 110
= 16 500 000 m/s

QUESTIONSHEET 4
light shining from above
white screen under tank
shadows of ripples appear on screen

(b) (i)

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(ii) by using a stroboscope or slit disk

waves appear to stop
at right angles to it

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(ii)

600 600

direction of travel
wave fronts
(iii) 60o to normal
(c) (i)

ma

(a) (i)

2 cm

(ii) 10 / 4
= 2.5 cycles / sec
(iii) 2.5 2
= 5 cm/s

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e.c

(ii) 16 500 000 / 340

= 48 529 times

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TOTAL / 12

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reflected
wave

wave
front

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TOTAL / 14

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 5
(a) pitch
(b) (i)

1
placing fingers on them

(ii) becomes higher

1
1

(d) frequency = velocity / wavelength

= 330 / 1.3
= 254 Hz

1
1
1

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(c) using tightening screws at end of neck

ctiv

e.c

(e) they are an octave apart

QUESTIONSHEET 6
Resonance

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(a) (i)

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(ii) Two from

Pushing a swing, picking up certain frequencies on radio,
increasing sound volume in wind instrument

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(iii) Two from

bridges collapsing in wind, singers shatter glasses,
seats rattling on bus

TOTAL / 8

(b) higher frequency vibrations in conjunction with main one

(c) (i)

Increasing the amplitude of a wave

causes its volume to increase

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1

(ii) high pitched notes have high frequency

and shorter wavelength

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1

(iii) main frequency has overtones

number & strength of overtones determines quality

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1

TOTAL / 12

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 7
1
1

(b) sound passed through mothers abdomen

reflects from baby and shows shape

1
1

(c) ultrasound causes vibrations

breaks scale from teeth

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1

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(a) sound pulse released by boat hits fish

returns to ship quicker than hitting bottom

QUESTIONSHEET 8
membrane in ear drum
vibrates with same frequency as sound

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(a) (i)

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e.c

(d) picture of joint built up

shape of fault shows up

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1

TOTAL / 8

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1
1
1

(b)help person to balance

by sending reference information to brain

1
1

(c) sound to ourselves transmitted through bones

others hear sounds through the air

1
1

(d) aid picks up vibrations

and passes them through skull bones

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(ii) fluid filled tube

transmits vibrations to nerve endings

TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 9
(a) Vibrations/ oscillations
Squash/ compress and/ or stretch/rarefact air
Layers/ Energy travels to ears

1
1
1

(b) Recall of formula

Speed = frequency wavelength
Substitution of figures and rearrangement
=300/400
=0.75m or
=75cm

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(c) (i)

1
1

Smaller
Same frequency (same no. of peaks)

e.c

(ii) Wavelength reduced

Exactly half the wavelength (twice no.of peaks on screen)

(a) (i)

5m

(ii) 100m
Between 3-5cm

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(b) (i)

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QUESTIONSHEET 10

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(d) Loud sounds damage hearing (destroy hairs in cochlea)

Long period of time permanent damage.

(ii) Displacement in direction of travel of wave (longitudinal).

Squashed up bits and stretched bits
(compressions and rarefactions).
(c) Flicked up and down
(so displacement at right angles to travel direction).
(d) Medium of sound wave is air.
Medium of light wave is electric and magnetic field/ electromagnetic.
Air molecules vibrate back and forth
they collide into other molecules.
Energy/ message passed on so that the process repeats.

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TOTAL / 12

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1
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TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 11
1

(b) 300m/s

(c) 3 seconds

(d) Use of formula speed =distance/time

to give distance = speed time.
900m (allow ECF from part 1b).

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(e) (i)

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(a)Echo

Sounds with frequency 20,000 Hz/ above human hearing.

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TOTAL / 9

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QUESTIONSHEET 12

ctiv

e.c

(ii) Ultra sound signal transmitted and reflections/

echoes received.
Bat can calculate the distance to prey from time delay.
Wavelength of reflected signal is increased
if prey is moving away from bat (or vice versa).

(b) (i) Any two from: Both need a medium to travel.

Both can be reflected of boundaries.
Both can be refracted at boundaries.
Both have increasing speed with depth/ density.

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(a) A crust
B mantle
C outer core
D inner core
(all correct 3, 2 correct 2, one correct - 1)

(ii) Any two from:P waves are longitudinal (or equivalent)/ S waves are transverse (or equivalent).
P waves are faster.
P waves are more destructive.
P waves can travel through all parts of Earth.
(c) (i)

P and S waves

(ii) P waves only.

S waves cannot travel through a liquid.
The outer core is liquid.
(d) P waves make building vibrate up and down
P waves are faster so arrive first.
S waves arrive later, shake building from side to side.

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1
1
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TOTAL / 14

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 13
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1
1
1

(b) (i)

hertz

(ii) X 3 Hz
Y 1 Hz

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1

(iii) X 5 3
= 15 cm/s
Y 15 cm/s

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1

e.c

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(a) A peak
B amplitude
C wavelength
D trough

(a) (i)

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QUESTIONSHEET 14
when he saw the smoke of the gun

he

ww
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(b) time = distance / speed

= 100 / 330
= 0.303 s or 0.3 s

ma

(ii) light travels much faster than sound

the race will have started when he hears the sound

TOTAL / 10

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TOTAL / 6

QUESTIONSHEET 15

(a) speed = distance / time

= 750 x 2 / 1
= 1500 m/s

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1

(b) solids transmit sound better than gases

sound transmitted along string

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(c) sound needs a material to pass through

space is a vacuum

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TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 16
(a) (i)

16

14
12

om

10

4
2

x
110

120

sensible scales
correct plotting
correct line drawn
(ii) 127 dB (+/- 1)

(b) (i)

140

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(iii) no

130

150

160

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100

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ctiv

e.c

Two from
double glazing, curtains, carpets, plant trees

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(ii) uneven, non-reflecting

(iii) ear muffs

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TOTAL / 9

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 17
(a) (i)

The string

(ii) The drum skin/cover

(iii) The air inside/ reed

Ultrasound

(ii) frequency number of vibrations per sec hertz

amplitude maximum disturbance meters
wave speed distance one wave travels per sec m/s
Higher

e.c

(c) (i)

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(b) (i)

QUESTIONSHEET 18

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(ii) Louder

(b) (i)

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(a) Oscillate / vibrate / move backwards and forwards / side to side.

String vibrates / is plucked / made to move/ oscillates

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(ii) The string is plucked harder / with more energy.

(iii) Tighter strings
shorten vibrating length (by putting finger along neck)
(c) Sound wave travels back & forth, light goes up & down.
A sound wave has squashed bits (compression)
and stretched bits unlike light

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1

TOTAL / 9

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TOTAL / 7

GCSE PHYSICS

WAVES & SOUND

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 19
(a) Wavelength = 4cm
amplitude = 1cm

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1

(b) Higher (twice as high) frequency.

Same loudness or energy

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(c) Higher frequency (twice as high).

Louder or more energy

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QUESTIONSHEET 20
(a) (i)

Unwanted sound.

ma

(ii) Dangerous/damage to hearing/ health.

ctiv

e.c

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(d) Similar wave type but:Waves not as tall (i.e. smaller amplitude)
Wave peaks closer together (shorter wavelength)
twice the number of waves (wavelength exactly half)

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(iii ) Stops sounds travelling straight to houses (travels further)

Deflects/ reflects sound energy away from homes.

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TOTAL / 9

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(c) Loudness/ amplitude is reduced.

Measured wavelength is longer.

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1

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(b) Changes sound energy to electrical energy.

TOTAL / 7