General properties of waves: past paper questions

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• Question 18May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a wave. Two distances, P and Q, are labelled.

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Waves travel across the surface of water. What is meant by the amplitude of the wave?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statements about waves are correct?

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• Question 19May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Sound travels through air at a speed of $340\text{ m/s}$.

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A seismic wave consists of vibrations that are parallel to the direction of propagation. What is the type of wave and what is the name of the seismic wave?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Water waves change direction when they move from shallow water to deep water. What is the name of this effect?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which quantities relating to a wave on the surface of water can both be measured in metres?

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• Question 20May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a beam of light leaving a LASER. Direction RS is parallel to the beam. Directions WX and YZ are perpendicular to the beam.

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Waves travel more quickly on the surface of water when the water is deep.

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a transverse wave. Which distance is equal to one wavelength?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which description and example are correct for a transverse wave?

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• Question 18May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Waves transfer energy. Which statement does not describe a wave?

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The table gives information about seismic waves. Which row is correct?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a wave before it reflects from a barrier. Which labelled section of the diagram represents a wavefront?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Straight wavefronts on the surface of a ripple tank approach a gap in a barrier. The diagram shows how the wavefronts change shape as they pass through the gap. What is the name of this effect?

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• Question 19May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The speed of sound in water is $1500\text{ m/s}$. What is the wavelength in water of a sound of frequency $26\text{ kHz}$?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagrams show two transverse waves X and Y and are to the same scale.

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• Question 23Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about a sound that can be heard by a person with normal hearing is correct?

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• Question 25May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  An audible sound wave and an ultrasound wave are travelling in air. The table shows information about properties of the waves. Which property gives possible correct information for both the audible sound wave and the ultrasound wave?

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  P-waves and S-waves are produced in the ground during an earthquake. Which statement about these waves is correct?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row shows an example of a transverse wave and an example of a longitudinal wave?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement about waves is correct?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Parallel waves in a ripple tank are diffracted as they pass through a gap in a barrier. Three changes that can be made to this arrangement are listed. 1 Decrease the wavelength of the waves.

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Water waves are reflected at a plane surface. Which property of the waves is changed by the reflection?

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The diagram shows a transverse wave. Which row identifies the amplitude and the wavelength of the wave?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  An earthquake-monitoring station records the arrival of 16 complete wavelengths of an earthquake wave in a time of $20\text{ s}$.

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• Question 19Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Plane water waves approach a narrow gap in a barrier. Which diagram shows the diffraction pattern that would occur?

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• Question 17Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two men, P and Q, stand close to a gap in a wall, as shown. Man P cannot see man Q but man P can hear man Q speaking. Which statement explains this?

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• Question 17May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Two students stand facing each other at position P and at position Q. The students hold the ends of a piece of rope.

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• Question 18Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  Which statement is correct?

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