Waves
Edexcel GCSE Physics revision on Waves. Aligned to the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Physics 1PH0 specification. This bank has 26 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 26)
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Question 1
The wave equation is: v = f x lambda. What does each letter mean?
- A) v = velocity, f = frequency, lambda = wavelength
- B) v = volume, f = force, lambda = length
- C) v = velocity, f = field, lambda = lift
- D) v = vibration, f = friction, lambda = light
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Answer: v = velocity, f = frequency, lambda = wavelength
v in m/s, f in Hz (waves per second), lambda in m. For SOUND in air: ~343 m/s (any frequency, varies slightly with temperature). For LIGHT in vacuum: 3 x 10^8 m/s (constant). For water waves: variable. Frequency and wavelength are INVERSELY proportional if speed is constant - high frequency = short wavelength.
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Question 2
Sound travels FASTEST through...
- A) Air (gas)
- B) Water (liquid)
- C) Steel (solid)
- D) Vacuum (none)
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Answer: Steel (solid)
Sound is a pressure wave - needs particles to propagate. Closer + better-connected particles transmit it faster. AIR: ~340 m/s. WATER: ~1500 m/s. STEEL: ~5000 m/s. VACUUM: doesn't travel at all (no particles). Why submarines can hear ships from far away (water) + put your ear to a railway track to hear an approaching train (steel).
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Question 3
Transverse waves have oscillations that are...
- A) Parallel to the direction of energy travel
- B) Perpendicular to the direction of energy travel
- C) Random
- D) Diagonal only
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Answer: Perpendicular to the direction of energy travel
TRANSVERSE waves: oscillations 90 degrees to direction of energy travel. Examples: water waves, light + all electromagnetic waves, S-waves in earthquakes, wave on a rope. LONGITUDINAL waves: oscillations PARALLEL to direction of energy travel. Examples: sound, P-waves in earthquakes, slinky pushed in/out. Both can be drawn as 'wave shapes' on paper but they represent different real motions.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
23 more questions on Waves — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole Physics spec.