The Physics Question Bank

← All topics  |  Waves topic page  |  Key: C+S = Combined and Separate · S only = Separate only · HT = Higher only  |  🔍 = see example pictures (Google Images, SafeSearch on)

Lesson 1 – Transverse and longitudinal waves (C+S)

1. Read and copy notes: Wave Properties → notes and copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 1 “What is a transverse wave?”, 2 “What is a longitudinal wave?” and 3 “What do waves transfer?”
3. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → diagram 67 (transverse wave) 🔍 and diagram 68 (longitudinal wave on a slinky) 🔍.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 1 (transverse and longitudinal waves).
5. Practise: the questions on Wave Properties.

Lesson 2 – Wave properties and wave speed (C+S)

1. Copy definitions: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 4 “Amplitude”, 5 “Wavelength”, 6 “Frequency”, 7 “Period” and 8 “Wave speed”.
2. Copy worked examples: Wave speed: v = fλ → Q1 and Period: T = 1/f → Q1.
3. See examples: 🔍 amplitude, wavelength and frequency.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 2 (properties of waves).
5. Practise: Q2–Q10 on both equation pages.

Lesson 3 – Waves required practical (C+S)

1. Read: Required practical: Waves → both methods and the video.
2. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → diagram 69 (ripple tank) 🔍 and diagram 70 (waves on a string) 🔍.
3. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 9 (wave speed and the ripple tank).
4. Practise: the practical’s exam-style questions.

Lesson 4 – Reflection and refraction (C+S; wavefronts HT; reflection details and light practical S only)

1. Read and copy notes: Refraction → notes and copy box. (S only) also Reflection → notes and copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 11 “What is refraction?” and 12 “State the law of reflection”.
3. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → diagram 72 (refraction through a glass block) 🔍, (HT) diagram 73 (wavefronts) 🔍, (S only) diagram 71 (reflection ray diagram) 🔍.
4. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 3 (reflection and refraction) and passage 10 (refraction and wavefronts).
5. Practise: the questions on Refraction (S only: and Reflection).
6. (S only) Required practical: Light: reflection and refraction → read it and answer its exam-style questions. 🔍 ray box set-up

Lesson 5 – The electromagnetic spectrum (C+S; radio waves HT)

1. Read and copy notes: Electromagnetic Waves → the uses and dangers table and the copy box.
2. Copy definitions: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 9 “The EM spectrum in order” and 10 “Three properties of all EM waves”.
3. Copy worked example: Electromagnetic Waves → Q5 (frequency of a radio wave).
4. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → diagram 74 (the EM spectrum) 🔍. See also 🔍 uses of EM waves.
5. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 4 (the EM spectrum) and passage 5 (uses and dangers).
6. Practise: Electromagnetic Waves → Q1–Q4, Q6, and (HT) Q7–Q8.
7. Lesson activity: Help or Hazard?

Lesson 6 – Infrared radiation and black body radiation (practical C+S; black body S only)

1. Read: Required practical: Infrared radiation.
2. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → diagram 83 (Leslie cube) 🔍.
3. Practise: the practical’s exam-style questions.
4. (S only) Read and copy notes: Black Body Radiation → notes and copy box. Draw diagram 84 (black body curves) 🔍. Complete passage 8 (black body radiation). Practise: Black Body Radiation questions and Electromagnetic Waves → Q9–Q10.

Lesson 7 – Lenses, visible light and colour (S only)

1. Read and copy notes: Lenses and Visible Light and Colour and Filters → notes and copy boxes.
2. Copy definition: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 14 “Real vs virtual image”.
3. Copy worked examples: Magnification → Q1, and Lenses and Visible Light → Q8 (height of the object).
4. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → convex lens, real image (75) 🔍, magnifying glass (76) 🔍, concave lens (77) 🔍, specular and diffuse reflection (78) 🔍 and colour filters (79) 🔍.
5. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 7 (lenses and visible light) and passage 11 (colour and filters).
6. Practise: Lenses and Visible Light → Q1–Q7, the Colour and Filters questions and Magnification → Q2–Q10.

Lesson 8 – Sound, ultrasound and seismic waves (S only; hearing HT)

1. Read and copy notes: Sound and Hearing and Sound, Ultrasound and Seismic Waves → notes and copy boxes.
2. Copy definition: Waves topic page → Key definitions → 13 “What is ultrasound?”
3. Copy worked example: Sound, Ultrasound and Seismic Waves → Q4 (echo from a cliff).
4. Draw: Key Diagrams: Waves → (HT) diagram 80 (how we hear) 🔍, diagram 81 (echo sounding) 🔍 and diagram 82 (seismic waves through the Earth) 🔍.
5. Fill the gaps: Fill the gaps: Waves → passage 6 (sound, ultrasound and seismic waves) and passage 12 (sound and hearing).
6. Practise: Sound, Ultrasound and Seismic Waves → Q1–Q3, Q5–Q8, and the Sound and Hearing questions.
7. Lesson activities: Sound Investigators and Earthquake Detectives.

Lesson 9 – Review and test (C+S)

1. Read: Waves topic page → “⚠️ Where students lose marks”. Copy the three you think you’d get wrong.
2. Test yourself: Waves topic page → cover the answers and try all 14 Key definitions (Combined: 1–12).
3. Mind map: Mind map guide → Waves.
4. Mixed practice: Waves and magnetism – which equation?
5. Redraw from memory: diagrams 67, 72 and 74 from Key Diagrams: Waves, then check them.
6. Quiz: Waves quiz – 20 questions. Mark it and work out your percentage.
7. Exam practice: AQA past papers → Paper 2 waves questions.