Electromagnetic spectrum: past paper questions

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• Question 25May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  An electromagnetic wave in free space has a wavelength of $0.1\text{ nm}$. In which principal region of the electromagnetic spectrum does this wave lie?

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• Question 25Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which group of electromagnetic waves is arranged in order from shortest wavelength to longest wavelength?

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• Question 23Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about electromagnetic waves in a vacuum is correct?

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• Question 22May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  What is the order of these principal regions of the electromagnetic spectrum from shortest to longest wavelength?

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• Question 27May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which wavelength of electromagnetic radiation in free space could be green light?

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• Question 25Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electromagnetic wave in free space has a frequency of $3.0\times {10}^{16}\text{ Hz}$. Which row gives the principal region of this wave and an example of an electromagnetic wave with a lower frequency?

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• Question 23Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A student is investigating two electromagnetic waves, X and Y, in a vacuum. Wave X has a wavelength of $5.2\times {10}^{-7}\text{ m}$. Wave Y has a frequency of $9.4\text{ GHz}$.

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• Question 5May/June 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Radio waves can be used to measure the distance between Earth and the planet Jupiter.

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• Question 25Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Each of the principal radiations of the electromagnetic spectrum has a range of wavelengths. Which wavelength is correctly linked to its radiation?

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• Question 1Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the best estimate of the wavelength of green light?

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• Question 27May/June 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  An electromagnetic wave travelling in free space is not visible to the human eye. What is a possible wavelength of the wave?

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• Question 25May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An electromagnetic wave is travelling through a vacuum. What could be the wavelength and period of the electromagnetic wave?

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• Question 25May/June 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  An electromagnetic wave has a wavelength of $138\text{ pm}$ in a vacuum. To which region of the electromagnetic spectrum does this wave belong?

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• Question 5Oct/Nov 2023, paper 23Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Two point sources, A and B, produce coherent electromagnetic waves. The waves from A and B are emitted in phase and have wavelength $\lambda$, as shown in Fig. 5.1. The lines on Fig. 5.1 represent wavefronts.

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• Question 6May/June 2024, paper 22Structured6 marksHas a diagram

  Light of a single frequency is incident normally on a diffraction grating. An interference pattern of bright and dark fringes forms on the semicircular screen shown in Fig. 6.1. The light has wavelength $520\text{ nm}$.

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• Question 23May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Some sources of electromagnetic waves in free space are listed.

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• Question 23May/June 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  An electromagnetic wave has a wavelength of $2.1\text{ cm}$ in a vacuum. Which region of the electromagnetic spectrum contains this wave?

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• Question 5May/June 2023, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  An electromagnetic wave in a vacuum has a wavelength of $8.4\times {10}^{-6}\text{ m}$. State the name of the principal region of the electromagnetic spectrum for the wave.

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