Topic 3.2: Wave Model Questions

State whether electromagnetic waves are transverse or longitudinal.

An FM radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 100 MHz.

Using c = 3.00 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹, calculate the wavelength of the radio wave.

Describe two properties that are shared by every wave in the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.

State the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave in terms of how the particles of the medium move relative to the direction the wave travels.

Outline the difference between a wavefront and a ray when used to represent a wave.

An FM radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 96 MHz.

Electromagnetic waves travel through air at 3.0 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹.

Calculate the wavelength of these radio waves.

On a wave diagram, state what a single wavefront represents.

A wave is drawn using both wavefronts and a ray.

Identify how the ray is oriented relative to the wavefronts.

State the wave equation that relates the speed v of a wave to its frequency f and wavelength λ.

Identify whether each of the following waves is transverse or longitudinal: (i) a sound wave in air; (ii) visible light; (iii) a wave sent along a stretched spring by pushing and pulling one end along its length.

A loudspeaker emits a sound wave whose plane wavefronts are drawn 0.85 m apart.

Determine the wavelength of the sound and outline what the spacing between neighbouring wavefronts tells you.

A displacement-distance graph (a snapshot) and a displacement-time graph are drawn for the same wave.

Identify which quantity is read directly off each graph, and state the equation that combines them to give the wave speed.

A water wave travels towards a barrier.

Sketch the appearance of the wavefronts and the ray if the wave is travelling horizontally to the right, and state the angle between the ray and the wavefronts.

A displacement–time graph of one particle on a transverse wave is a smooth oscillation.

The graph reaches a maximum displacement of 3.0 cm and one complete cycle takes 8.0 ms.

Determine the amplitude and the frequency of the wave.

A snapshot of straight, parallel wavefronts on the surface of a ripple tank shows them at 1.2 cm, 3.6 cm, 6.0 cm and 8.4 cm measured along a ray.

The dipper producing them vibrates at 25 Hz.

Calculate the wavelength and the speed of the ripples.

A microwave oven produces electromagnetic waves of wavelength 0.12 m.

Electromagnetic waves travel at 3.0 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹.

Determine the frequency of these microwaves.

A transverse wave on a long rope is recorded in two ways.

A snapshot (displacement-distance graph) shows that one complete wave occupies 0.60 m, and that a crest is 0.040 m above the middle.

A displacement-time graph for one point on the rope shows that one full cycle takes 0.30 s.

Determine the wavelength, the amplitude, the period, and the speed of the wave.

Identify the region of the electromagnetic spectrum for an EM wave of wavelength 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ m, and determine its frequency using c = 3.00 × 10⁸ m s⁻¹.

Outline how a single displacement–time graph of one particle and a snapshot (displacement–distance graph) of the same wave differ, and state which wave quantity you read from each.

Describe how a longitudinal wave travelling through a gas produces regions of high and low pressure, and name those two types of region.