Exam Questions AQA

Trilogy
Waves

Q1-6 Foundation Tier

Q3-9 Higher Tier

Markscheme at the end of all questions.

Page 1 of 24
Q1.
(a) Complete the sentences.

Choose the answers from the box.

ionising light sound transmitted waves

X-rays travel at the speed of ____________________ .

X-rays can cause cancer because they are ____________________ .

(2)

(b) How do X-rays compare with gamma rays?

Tick one box.

X-rays have a longer wavelength and a higher frequency

X-rays have a longer wavelength and a lower frequency

X-rays have a shorter wavelength and a higher frequency

X-rays have a shorter wavelength and a lower frequency

(1)

A scientist measured the radiation dose that a person received at different distances from
an X-ray machine.

The table shows the results.

Distance from machine Dose in millisieverts/ Mean dose in

in m Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 millisieverts

0.5 0.152 0.146 0.155 0.151

1.0 0.039 0.035 0.040 X

1.5 0.017 0.018 0.017 0.017

2.0 0.012 0.007 0.007 0.009

2.5 0.007 0.006 0.005 0.006

(c) Calculate value X in the table.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 2 of 24
 Mean dose = ____________________ millisieverts
(2)

(d) What conclusion can be made from the results in the table?

Tick one box.

The dose decreases if you stand further from the machine.

The dose is directly proportional to the distance.

The dose is the same at all distances from the machine.

There is a linear relationship between dose and distance.

(1)

(e) An X-ray gives a radiation dose of 0.180 millisieverts.

Natural sources give a dose of 0.012 millisieverts per day.

Calculate the time it would take for natural sources to give a dose of 0.180
millisieverts.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Time = ____________________ days

(2)

(f) Suggest why doctors use X-rays even though this increases the risk of cancer to the
patient.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(g) X-rays can also be used to treat cancer.

A patient receives a dose of 20 millisieverts from an X-ray.

Proton beam therapy delivers 40% of this dose.

Calculate the dose delivered by proton beam therapy.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 3 of 24
 Dose = ____________________ millisieverts
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

Q2.
(a) Diagram 1 shows two waves.

Diagram 1

(i) Name one wave quantity that is the same for the two waves.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Name one wave quantity that is different for the two waves.

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(iii) The waves in Diagram 1 are transverse.

Which one of the following types of wave is not a transverse wave?

Draw a ring around the correct answer.

gamma rays sound visible light

(1)

(b) Diagram 2 shows water waves in a ripple tank moving towards and passing through
a gap in a barrier.

Diagram 2

Page 4 of 24
 Every second, 8 waves pass through the gap in the barrier. The waves have a
wavelength of 0.015 metres.

Calculate the speed of the water waves and give the unit.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Speed = ___________________________________
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

Q3.
The diagram shows a wave.

(a) Which arrow shows the amplitude of the wave?

Tick one box.

A B C D

(1)

(b) Which arrow shows the wavelength of the wave?

Tick one box.

A B C D

Page 5 of 24
 (1)

(c) It takes 0.5 seconds for a wave in the diagram to travel from point P to point Q.

Calculate the frequency of the waves shown in the diagram.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Frequency = ____________________ Hz
(2)

(d) What type of wave is sound?

Tick one box.

Electromagnetic

Longitudinal

Transverse

(1)

Two students carried out an experiment to determine the speed of sound.

This is the method used.

1. Student A stands 100 m away from Student B.

2. Student A bangs two blocks of wood together making a loud sound.

3. Student B starts a stopclock when he sees the blocks of wood bang together.

4. Student B stops the stopclock when he hears the sound and records the time.

5. The students repeat steps 2‒4 several times.

The students calculated the speed of sound from their results.

(e) Suggest the most likely source of error in the experiment.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(f) The speed of sound calculated was lower than the true speed of sound in air.

Suggest one improvement to the students’ method that would give a more accurate
value for the speed of sound.

Page 6 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(g) A student compares the properties of visible light waves and radio waves.

Which two properties are the same for both visible light waves and radio waves?

Tick two boxes.

Both are transverse waves

Both can travel through a vacuum

Both have the same amplitude

Both have the same frequency

Both have the same wavelength

(2)
(Total 9 marks)

Q4.
A baby monitor has a sensor unit that transmits an image of the baby and the noises the
baby makes to a monitor unit.

The monitor unit then displays an image of the baby and emits the noises the baby
makes.

(a) Compare the properties of the waves that transmit images and noises from the
monitor unit.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 7 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________
(4)

(b) The sensor unit can detect infrared and visible light.

Suggest one advantage of being able to detect infrared.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Write down the equation that links frequency, wave speed and wavelength.

Equation ___________________________________________________________
(1)

(d) The signals for the monitor unit are transmitted as electromagnetic waves with a
wavelength of 0.125 m.

Wave speed of electromagnetic waves = 3 × 108 m / s

Calculate the frequency of the signal.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Frequency = __________________ Hz
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

Q5.
The clock shown in Figure 1 uses a pendulum to keep time.

Page 8 of 24
 © tab1962/iStock/Thinkstock

(a) The pendulum has a frequency of 0.80 Hz.

Calculate the periodic time of the pendulum.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Periodic time = ___________ seconds

(2)

(b) A student investigated the factors affecting the oscillation of a pendulum. The
student set up a pendulum as shown in Figure 2.

The student investigated how many complete oscillations the pendulum made for
different lengths of the pendulum and different masses of the pendulum bob.

Page 9 of 24
 The results are shown in the table.

Number of complete
Length of the pendulum Mass of the pendulum oscillations made by
in millimetres bob in grams the pendulum in 20
seconds

200 100 22

200 200 22

400 100 15

400 200 15

600 50 13

600 100 13

(i) State two conclusions that the student should make from the results shown in
the table.

1. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) The student wants to be more certain that her conclusions are correct.

Suggest two ways in which the investigation could be improved.

1. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

Q6.
The diagram shows a ripple tank.

Page 10 of 24
(a) The motor makes a noise when it is turned on.

Describe the differences between the properties of the sound waves produced by
the motor and the water waves in the ripple tank.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 11 of 24
 (4)

(b) The period of the sound waves produced by the motor is 8.3 milliseconds.

Calculate the frequency of the sound waves.

Use the Physics Equations Sheet.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Frequency = ____________________ Hz
(3)

(c) Explain how a student could make appropriate measurements and use them to
determine the wavelength of the waves in the ripple tank.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Page 12 of 24
 ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(6)
(Total 13 marks)

Q7.
(a) Microwaves are one type of electromagnetic wave.

(i) Which type of electromagnetic wave has a lower frequency than microwaves?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) What do all types of electromagnetic wave transfer from one place to another?

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(b) The picture shows a tennis coach using a speed gun to measure how fast the player
serves the ball.

(i) The microwaves transmitted by the speed gun have a frequency of 24 000 000
000 Hz and travel through the air at 300 000 000 m/s.

Calculate the wavelength of the microwaves emitted from the speed gun.

Show clearly how you work out your answer.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Wavelength = _______________ m
(2)

(ii) Some of the microwaves transmitted by the speed gun are absorbed by the
ball.

What effect will the absorbed microwaves have on the ball?

Page 13 of 24
 ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 5 marks)

Q8.
(a) Microwaves and visible light are two types of electromagnetic wave. Both can be
used for communications.

(i) Give two properties that are common to both visible light and microwaves.

1. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(2)

(ii) Name two more types of electromagnetic wave that can be used for
communications.

______________________________ and ____________________________

(1)

(b) Wi-Fi is a system that joins computers to the internet without using wires.
Microwaves, with a wavelength of 12.5 cm, are used to link a computer to a device
called a router. Microwaves travel through the air at 300 000 000 m/s.

Calculate the frequency of the microwaves used to link the computer to the router.

Show clearly how you work out your answer and give the unit.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Frequency = _______________________________
(3)

(c) Wi-Fi is used widely in schools. However, not everyone thinks that this is a good
idea.

A politician commented on the increasing use of WiFi. He said: ‘I believe that these
systems may be harmful to children.’

However, one group of scientists said that there is no reason why Wi-Fi should not
be used in schools. These scientists also suggested that there is a need for further
research.

Page 14 of 24
 (i) Suggest what the politician could have done to persuade people that what he
said was not just an opinion.

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)

(ii) Why did the group of scientists suggest that there is a need for further
research?

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
(1)
(Total 8 marks)

Q9.
Radio waves and microwaves are two types of electromagnetic wave.

Both waves:

• can be used for communications

• travel at the same speed through air.

(a) Give two more properties that are the same for both radio waves and microwaves.

1. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(2)

(b) Some satellites are used to transmit television programmes. Signals are sent to, and
transmitted from, the satellites using microwaves.

What is the property of microwaves that allows them to be used for satellite
communications?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________
(1)

(c) Electromagnetic waves travel at a speed of 3.0 × 108 m/s.

A radio station transmits waves with a wavelength of 2.5 × 102 m.

Calculate the frequency of the radio waves.

Page 15 of 24
Show clearly how you work out your answer and give the unit.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Frequency = ___________________________________
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

Page 16 of 24
Mark schemes

Q1.
(a) light
1

ionising
1

(b) x-rays have a longer wavelength and a lower frequency

1

(c)
1

= 0.038 (milllisieverts)
an answer of 0.038 scores 2 marks
1

(d) the dose decreases if you stand further from the machine
1

(e)
1

= 15 days
an answer of 15 days scores 2 marks
1

(f) the benefit (of a correct diagnosis) outweighs the risk

allow the (increased) risk of cancer is very small for an x-ray
allow for medical imaging, eg to see broken bones
1

(g)
allow 20 × 40%
1

= 8 (millisieverts)
an answer of 8 (millisieverts) scores 2 marks
1
[11]

Q2.
(a) (i) wavelength
accept frequency
accept speed
1
 (ii) amplitude
accept energy
height is insufficient
1

(iii) sound
1

(b) 0.12
allow 1 mark for correct substitution, ie 8 × 0.015 provided
no subsequent step shown
2

metre per second or m/s or metre/second

do not accept mps
units must be consistent with numerical answers
1
[6]

Q3.
(a) B
1

(b) A
1

(c)
1

5(.0)(Hz)
1

(d) longitudinal
1

(e) timing (from seeing the blocks bang together and hearing the sound)
or
risk of cancelling the timer
ignore human error unqualified
allow reaction time (of student B)
1

(f) student to stand further away (so there is a greater time lag to measure)
allow other correct methods, eg using echoes
1

(g) both are transverse waves

1

both can travel through a vacuum

1
[9]
Q4.
(a) any four from:

• light waves are transverse whereas sound waves are longitudinal

• light waves travel faster than sound waves
• light waves have a higher frequency than sound waves
• light waves have a shorter wavelength than sound waves
• light waves have oscillations perpendicular (to the direction of energy transfer)
whereas sound waves are parallel (to the direction of energy transfer)
4

(b) the baby can be seen in the dark

1

(c) wave speed = frequency × wavelength

accept v = f λ
1

(d) 3 × 108 = f × 0.125

1

f = 3 × 108 / 0.125
1

f = 2.4 × 109 (Hz)

allow 2.4 × 109 with no working for 3 marks
1
[9]

Q5.
(a) 1.25
accept 1.3 for 2 marks
allow 1 mark for correct substitution

ie
provided no subsequent step shown
2

(b) (i) increasing the length (of the pendulum) decreases the number of
oscillations / swings made (in 20 seconds)
accept increasing the length (of the pendulum) increases the
time (of 1 oscillation / swing)
accept increasing the length (of the pendulum) decreases
the speed / frequency (of 1 oscillation / swing)
answers must refer to the effect of increasing / decreasing
length
ignore references to time being proportional to length
1

changing the mass (of the pendulum bob) does not change the number
of oscillations / swings made (in 20 seconds)
accept changing the mass does not change the time /
speed / frequency / results
 accept weight for mass
1

(ii) any two suitable improvements:

• measure (the number of swings) over a wider range of (pendulum)

lengths

• measure (the number of swings) over a wider range of (bob)

masses

• measure the number of swings made over a greater period of time

• repeat each measurement & calculate mean / average (number of

oscillations in 20 seconds)
accept repeat measurements & discard anomalous
measurements
repeat measurements is insufficient

• measure (the total number of swings &) the fraction of swings

made

• start the swings at the same height.

use a computer / datalogger to make measurement (of
number of oscillations) is insufficient
measuring time period is insufficient
using a stop clock with greater resolution is insufficient
2
[6]

Q6.
(a) sound waves are longitudinal
1

in longitudinal waves, the oscillations / vibrations are parallel to the direction of

energy transfer
allow direction that the wave is travelling for direction of
energy transfer
1

water waves are transverse

1

in transverse waves, the oscillations / vibrations are at 90 degrees to the direction of

energy transfer
ignore references to wave speed, wavelength or frequency
an answer stating that sound waves travel in all directions
but water waves don’t is insufficient.
1

(b)
1
 1

frequency = 120 (Hz)

an answer of 120(.481...) scores 3 marks
an answer of 0.12 scores 2 marks
1

(c)
Level 3: Relevant points (reasons/causes) are identified,
given in detail and logically linked to form a clear 5-6
account.

Level 2: Relevant points (reasons/causes) are identified,

and there are attempts at logically linking. The resulting 3-4
account is not fully clear.

Level 1: Points are identified and stated simply, but their

relevance is not clear and there is no attempt at logical 1-2
thinking.

No relevant content 0

Indicative content
equipment
•   a stopclock / stopwatch should be used to time the
waves
•   a metre rule should be used to measure distance
determining the frequency of the waves
•   the frequency could be determined by finding the
time for several waves to pass a point
•   the frequency could be determined by finding the
how many waves pass a point in a fixed time
•   frequency is the average time for one wave to pass a
point

•   frequency =
determining the speed of the waves
•   the speed can be determined by measuring the
distance travelled by a wave and the time taken to
travel that distance
•   the distance used to determine speed should be as
long as possible
•   speed = distance/time
determining the wavelength of the wave
•   the wavelength can be calculated using the speed
and frequency of the wave
•   wavespeed = frequency × wavelength
 •   

•   
6
[13]

Q7.
(a) (i) radio(waves)
1

(ii) energy
correct answer only
1

(b) (i) 0.0125 (m)

allow 1 mark for correct transformation and substitution
2

(ii) make it hot(ter)

do not accept cook it
accept (air) particles inside ball will move faster
accept water in the ball gets hotter
1
[5]

Q8.
(a) (i) any two from:

• travel at the same speed (through a vacuum)

accept travel at the speed of light
accept air for vacuum

• can travel through a vacuum / space

do not accept air for vacuum

• transfer energy

• can be reflected

• can be refracted

• can be diffracted

• can be absorbed

• can be transmitted

• transverse
accept any other property common to electromagnetic
 waves
accept travel at the same speed through a vacuum for both
marks
do not accept both radiated from the Sun
2

(ii) infra red

both required for the mark

radio(waves)
accept IR for infra red
1

(b) 2 400 000 000

correct transformation and substitution gains 1 mark

ie or
an answer of 24 000 000 gains 1 mark
either 2 400 000 kHz
or 2 400 MHz scores 3 marks but the symbol only scores the
3rd mark if it is correct in every detail
2

hertz
accept Hz
do not accept hz
1

(c) (i) presented (scientific) evidence / data

do an experiment / investigation is insufficient
1

(ii) to find out if there is a hazard (or not)

accept to find out if it is safe
accept not enough evidence to make a decision
not enough evidence is insufficient
1
[8]

Q9.
(a) any two from:

• travel (at same speed) through a vacuum / space

do not accept air for vacuum

• transverse

• transfer energy

• can be reflected

• can be refracted
 • can be diffracted

• can be absorbed

• travel in straight lines

2

(b) can pass through the ionosphere

accept atmosphere for ionosphere
do not accept air for ionosphere
accept travel in straight lines
accept not refracted / reflected / absorbed by the ionosphere
1

(c) v=f λ

1.2 × 106 / 1200 000

allow 1 mark for correct substitution
ie 3.0 × 108 = f × 2.5 × 102
2

hertz / Hz
do not accept hz or HZ
accept kHz or MHz
answers 1.2 MHz or 1200 kHz gain all 3 marks
for full credit the unit and numerical value must be consistent
1
[6]