GCSE Combined Science Waves & the EM spectrum questions by topic

A teacher shakes one end of a long spring in two different directions to show two families of wave.

1. (a)Name the two families of wave, based on the direction of oscillation.[1]
2. (b)Sound travels through air. State which family it belongs to and explain your answer.[2]
3. (c)Give one example of a transverse wave.[1]

This question is about the wave equation.

1. (a)Write the equation linking wave speed, frequency and wavelength.[1]
2. (b)A wave has frequency 25 Hz and wavelength 1.2 m. Calculate its speed.[2]
3. (c)State the unit of frequency.[1]

A student investigates ripples in a tank.

1. (a)Describe how the student can find the frequency of the ripples.[2]
2. (b)The crests on a projected image are 0.040 m apart. State the wavelength.[1]
3. (c)The frequency is 2.5 Hz. Calculate the wave speed.[1]

A hospital and a television broadcaster both rely on different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

1. (a)Name the band of the electromagnetic spectrum used to cook food and talk to satellites.[1]
2. (b)Name the band used by hospitals to image broken bones.[1]
3. (c)State one hazard of ultraviolet radiation.[1]
4. (d)State the speed of all electromagnetic waves in a vacuum.[1]

This question is about measuring waves on a string.

1. (a)Describe how a vibration generator and a pulley can be used to measure the wavelength of waves on a stretched string.[2]
2. (b)A string 1.6 m long shows four complete loops at a signal-generator frequency of 50 Hz. Calculate the wavelength and the wave speed.[3]

This question is about refraction.

1. (a)State what happens to the speed, wavelength and frequency of a wave when it crosses into a medium where it travels more slowly.[3]
2. (b)Explain why a light ray changes direction at the boundary.[2]

This question is about seismic waves.

1. (a)Compare P-waves and S-waves in terms of type, relative speed and the materials they can cross.[3]
2. (b)An earthquake happens 480 km from a monitoring station. P-waves travel at 8.0 km/s and S-waves at 4.0 km/s. Calculate the time lag between the two arrivals.[2]

This question is about the infrared practical.

1. (a)Describe how a Leslie cube can be used to compare the infrared emitted by different surfaces.[3]
2. (b)State the expected order of emission for matt black, matt white and polished silver surfaces.[1]
3. (c)State one control variable.[1]

This question is about electromagnetic waves in communication.

1. (a)A satellite link uses microwaves of wavelength 0.030 m. Calculate their frequency.[3]
2. (b)Explain why the link uses microwaves rather than radio waves of longer wavelength, in terms of the spectrum.[1]
3. (c)Give one hazard of intense microwave radiation.[1]

A student compares the hearing-range wavelengths of two sound waves in air, where sound travels at 340 m/s.

1. (a)Calculate the wavelength of a 20 Hz sound wave.[2]
2. (b)Calculate the wavelength of a 20 kHz sound wave.[2]
3. (c)State how the pitch of the two waves compares.[1]

This question is about visible light frequencies.

1. (a)Green light has a wavelength of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ m. Calculate its frequency.[3]
2. (b)Ultraviolet has a shorter wavelength than green light. State and explain what this means for its frequency and energy.[2]

This question compares reflection and emission of infrared.

1. (a)Explain why houses in hot countries are often painted white.[2]
2. (b)A firefighter's thermal camera detects radiation from a person through smoke. Name the radiation and explain why the camera works even though the smoke blocks light.[3]