AQA-style topic test · Waves · Higher tier
Time allowed: 45 minutes
Total: Separate Physics 40 marks · Combined Science 24 marks (skip Questions 05 and 06)
You need: a calculator, a ruler and the equation sheet.
Instructions: Answer all questions on paper. Show your working in calculations. Give answers to an appropriate number of significant figures. Open the mark schemes only when you have finished the whole test.
Question 01
01.1 In a ripple tank, 10 waves measure 15 cm from the first to the last. The frequency of the waves is 8.0 Hz.
Calculate the speed of the waves in m/s. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
λ = 15 ÷ 10 = 1.5 cm = 0.015 m (1)
v = 8.0 × 0.015 (1)
v = 0.12 m/s (1)
01.2 A radio station broadcasts at a frequency of 100 MHz. Radio waves travel at 3.0 × 108 m/s.
Calculate the wavelength of the radio waves. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
100 MHz = 1.0 × 108 Hz (1)
3.0 × 108 = 1.0 × 108 × λ (1)
λ = 3.0 m (1)
01.3 Calculate the period of the radio waves. Give your answer in standard form. [1 mark]
Mark scheme
T = 1 ÷ (1.0 × 108) = 1.0 × 10−8 s (1)
Question 01 total: 7 marks
Question 02
Light travels from air into a glass block, meeting the boundary at an angle.
02.1 Use the idea of wavefronts to explain why the light changes direction. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
one side (end) of each wavefront reaches the glass first (1)
and slows down while the other side is still travelling faster in the air (1)
so the wavefront turns / the wave changes direction (towards the normal) (1)
02.2 Which property of the wave does not change when it enters the glass? [1 mark]
Mark scheme
frequency (1)
02.3 A ray enters the glass along the normal. Why does it not change direction? [1 mark]
Mark scheme
the whole wavefront enters the glass (and slows down) at the same time (1)
Question 02 total: 5 marks
Question 03
03.1 Radio waves can be produced and absorbed by electrical circuits. Describe what happens when radio waves are absorbed by a receiver aerial. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
they induce an alternating current in the circuit (1)
with the same frequency as the radio waves (1)
03.2 Explain why X-rays and gamma rays can be harmful to people. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
they are ionising radiation (1)
which can cause mutation of genes / damage DNA, leading to cancer (1)
03.3 Explain why microwaves are used for communicating with satellites. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
microwaves can pass through the Earth’s atmosphere (1)
so they can travel between the ground and satellites in space (1)
Question 03 total: 6 marks
Question 04
04.1 Describe how a student could investigate how the amount of infrared radiation emitted by a surface depends on the type of surface. Include how the student would make it a fair test. [6 marks]
Mark scheme
Level 3 (5–6 marks): a clear, logical method that would give valid results, including control variables and how the results would be compared.
Level 2 (3–4 marks): a method with the main steps, and some control variables.
Level 1 (1–2 marks): simple statements about the equipment or what is measured.
0 marks: no relevant content.
Indicative content:
• use a Leslie cube with different surfaces (e.g. matt black, shiny black, matt white, shiny silver)
• fill it with very hot water from a kettle
• place an infrared detector at the same distance from each face
• record the reading for each face
• take readings quickly so the water temperature stays about the same
• compare the readings – the highest reading is the best emitter
• repeat and calculate a mean
• safety: place the cube on a heatproof mat and take care with hot water
Question 04 total: 6 marks
🔷 SEPARATE PHYSICS ONLY – Combined Science students skip Questions 05 and 06
(Sound, ultrasound, seismic waves, lenses, colour and black body radiation are only in Separate Physics.)
Question 05
05.1 An ultrasound pulse is sent into the body. The echo from the boundary of an organ returns after 0.00012 s. The speed of ultrasound in soft tissue is 1500 m/s.
Calculate the depth of the boundary below the skin. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
distance travelled = 1500 × 0.00012 = 0.18 m (1)
the pulse travels there and back, so divide by 2 (1)
depth = 0.090 m / 9.0 cm (1)
05.2 After an earthquake, P-waves are detected all over the Earth, but S-waves are not detected on the opposite side of the Earth. Explain what this tells scientists about the Earth’s core. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
S-waves are transverse (1)
transverse waves cannot travel through liquids (1)
so the outer core must be liquid (1)
05.3 Explain how the ear converts sound waves into vibrations, and why humans can only hear a limited range of frequencies. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
sound waves make the eardrum (and small bones) vibrate (1)
this conversion only works over a limited frequency range (20 Hz – 20 kHz) (1)
Question 05 total: 8 marks
Question 06
06.1 A convex lens produces an image with a magnification of 1.5. The image is 4.5 cm tall.
Calculate the height of the object. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
1.5 = 4.5 ÷ object height (1)
object height = 3.0 cm (1)
06.2 What is the difference between a real image and a virtual image? [1 mark]
Mark scheme
a real image can be projected onto a screen (rays actually meet); a virtual image cannot (rays only appear to come from it) (1)
06.3 A green leaf is viewed through a red filter in white light. Explain why it looks black. [2 marks]
Mark scheme
the leaf reflects only green light (and absorbs other colours) (1)
the red filter absorbs green light and only transmits red, so no light reaches the eye from the leaf (1)
06.4 The Earth absorbs radiation from the Sun and emits radiation into space. Explain how the Earth’s temperature can stay roughly constant. [3 marks]
Mark scheme
the Earth absorbs radiation (mainly light) from the Sun and emits infrared radiation (1)
when the rate of absorbing radiation equals the rate of emitting radiation (1)
the temperature stays constant; if it absorbs faster than it emits, the temperature rises (1)
Question 06 total: 8 marks
END OF TEST. Total: Separate Physics 40 marks · Combined Science 24 marks.
Next: Waves – Foundation test · Waves topic page · All topic tests
