General properties of waves
3.1What the syllabus asks of you
- Know that waves transfer energy without transferring matter
- Describe what is meant by wave motion as illustrated by vibrations in ropes and springs and by experiments using water waves
- Describe the features of a wave in terms of wavefront, wavelength, frequency, crest (peak), trough, amplitude and wave speed
- Define the terms: (a) frequency as the number of wavelengths that pass a point per unit time (b) wavelength as the distance between two consecutive, identical points such as two consecutive crests (c) amplitude as the maximum distance from the mean position
- Recall and use the equation wave speed = frequency × wavelength v = f λ
- Know that for a transverse wave, the direction of vibration is at right angles to the direction of the energy transfer, and give examples such as electromagnetic radiation, waves on the surface of water, and seismic S-waves (secondary)
- Know that for a longitudinal wave, the direction of vibration is parallel to the direction of the energy transfer, and give examples such as sound waves and seismic P-waves (primary)
- Describe how waves can undergo: (a) reflection at a plane surface (b) refraction due to a change of speed (c) diffraction through a gap
- Describe how wavelength and gap size affects diffraction through a gap
- Describe the use of a ripple tank to show: (a) reflection at a plane surface (b) refraction due to a change in speed caused by a change in depth (c) diffraction due to a gap (d) diffraction due to an edge
- Describe how wavelength affects diffraction at an edge
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Chapter 3: General properties of waves
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40 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 11 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aspeed = amplitude ÷ frequency
Bspeed = amplitude × frequency
Cspeed = wavelength ÷ frequency
Dspeed = wavelength × frequency
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q20Show mark scheme →
A2.0 × 60
B\frac{60}{2.0}
C2.0
D\frac{2.0}{60}
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3May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q21Show mark scheme →
A0.30 m/s
B1.2 m/s
C1200 m/s
D300 000 000 m/s
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4May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aelectromagnetic waves, seismic S-waves, waves on the surface of water
Bseismic S-waves, sound waves, electromagnetic waves
Csound waves, waves on the surface of water, seismic P-waves
Dwaves on the surface of water, seismic P-waves, electromagnetic waves
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5May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Aa change in frequency due to a change in depth
Ba change in frequency due to a change in wavelength
Ca change in speed due to a change in depth
Da change in speed due to a change in frequency
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6May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q19Show mark scheme →
A1.0 cm / s
B2.0 cm / s
C4.0 cm / s
D8.0 cm / s
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7May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Aspeed of wave: increases; wavelength: increases
Bspeed of wave: increases; wavelength: decreases
Cspeed of wave: decreases; wavelength: increases
Dspeed of wave: decreases; wavelength: decreases
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8Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 11 · Q28Also set in May / June 2017 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Asound waves in water
Bultraviolet waves in air
Cwaves on the surface of water
DX-rays in a vacuum
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9May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aamplitude
Bfrequency
Cspeed
Dwavelength
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10Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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11Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Adiffraction
Bdispersion
Creflection
Drefraction
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12Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 11 · Q23Show mark scheme →
ABoth longitudinal waves and transverse waves can travel at the speed of light.
BBoth longitudinal waves and transverse waves of similar wavelengths must have similar frequencies.
CBoth longitudinal waves and transverse waves can travel in a vacuum.
DBoth longitudinal waves and transverse waves can travel in water.
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13May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q19Show mark scheme →
A0.67 m / s
B0.75 m / s
C1.3 m / s
D1.5 m / s
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14May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Aspeed and frequency only
Bspeed and wavelength only
Cwavelength and frequency only
Dspeed, frequency and wavelength
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15Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 11 · Q17Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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16Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Athe distance between the extreme points of a particle's motion
Bthe maximum distance a particle moves from its equilibrium position
Cthe maximum energy carried by the wave
Dthe maximum power of the vibrations carrying the wave
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17Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q21Also set in Oct / Nov 2021 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
AThe speed of the wavefront increases.
BThe speed of the wavefront decreases.
CThe wavelength of the wave remains constant.
DThe wavelength of the wave increases.
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18Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Ainfrared waves travelling in an optical fibre
Blight waves from an object entering a magnifying glass
Cultrasound waves being used to clean jewellery
Dwater waves hitting a barrier
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19May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Aspeed decreases, frequency stays constant
Bspeed increases, frequency stays constant
Cspeed stays constant, frequency decreases
Dspeed stays constant, frequency increases
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20Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
A3.3 × 10^–10 Hz
B3.3 × 10^–8 Hz
C3.0 × 10^7 Hz
D3.0 × 10^9 Hz
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21May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q29Show mark scheme →
A30 cm
B34 cm
C72 cm
D74 cm
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22May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q30Show mark scheme →
A24 cm / s
B25 cm / s
C36 cm / s
D72 cm / s
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23Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Ahalf of the vertical distance between a trough and a peak
Bthe horizontal distance between adjacent peaks
Cthe horizontal distance between a trough and an adjacent peak
Dthe vertical distance between a trough and a peak
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24Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
A1 and 3
B1 and 4
C2 and 3
D2 and 4
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25May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aamplitude
Bfrequency
Cspeed
Dwavelength
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26May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q26Also set in May / June 2019 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Agamma rays
Blight waves
Cultrasound waves
DX-rays
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27Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Aamplitude
Bfrequency
Cspeed
Dwavelength
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28Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
AThe amplitude is the vertical distance between a trough and a peak.
BThe frequency is the number of troughs passing a point in one second added to the number of peaks passing a point in one second.
CThe speed is the horizontal distance travelled per second by a peak.
DThe wavelength is the horizontal distance between a trough and a peak.
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29May / June 2018 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
A2.0 × 10⁷ Hz
B4.5 × 10⁷ Hz
C2.0 × 10⁹ Hz
D4.5 × 10⁹ Hz
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30Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Aamplitude 4.0 cm, wavelength 5.0 cm
Bamplitude 4.0 cm, wavelength 10 cm
Camplitude 8.0 cm, wavelength 5.0 cm
Damplitude 8.0 cm, wavelength 10 cm
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31Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Aelectromagnetic
Blongitudinal
Csound
Dtransverse
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32Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Afrequency decreases, speed decreases
Bfrequency decreases, speed increases
Cfrequency stays constant, speed decreases
Dfrequency stays constant, speed increases
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33May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Awavelength of wave in region P: larger; speed of wave in region P: faster
Bwavelength of wave in region P: larger; speed of wave in region P: slower
Cwavelength of wave in region P: smaller; speed of wave in region P: faster
Dwavelength of wave in region P: smaller; speed of wave in region P: slower
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34May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q27Show mark scheme →
AGraph A
BGraph B
CGraph C
DGraph D
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35Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 11 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Alight: longitudinal, sound: longitudinal
Blight: longitudinal, sound: transverse
Clight: transverse, sound: longitudinal
Dlight: transverse, sound: transverse
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36Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AAll electromagnetic waves are transverse waves.
BAll transverse waves travel at 300 000 000 m / s.
CLongitudinal waves cannot be refracted.
DWater waves are longitudinal waves.
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37Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q26Also set in Oct / Nov 2016 Paper 11Show mark scheme →
Aamplitude: Q, wavelength: P
Bamplitude: Q, wavelength: S
Camplitude: R, wavelength: P
Damplitude: R, wavelength: S
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38May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Aa line joining all points on the same crest of a wave
Ba line showing the displacement of a wave
Cthe energy content of a wave
Dthe first part of a wave to reach a point
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39May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q20Show mark scheme →
AW and X
BW and Z
CX and Z
DY and Z
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40May / June 2016 · Paper 12 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Afrequency and amplitude
Bfrequency and wavelength
Cspeed and frequency
Dspeed and wavelength
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