Exit to General properties of waves and sound

Check what I know: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

Check what you know about waves and sound, practise what needs work, then check your progress and return for a later review.

SEC G3 Combined Science Physics component 2027

Learning goals

Work through the questions and use the feedback to plan revision.

Check what I know

Check what I know: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 8 minutes

Check what I know

Answer 10 short questions. This starting check helps choose what to work on; it does not prove mastery.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

This check needs JavaScript to record answers. The reviewed questions are listed below for study.

What is a wavefront?

a line joining points at the same phase
a line joining points with the same displacement, even if they move in opposite directions
the path followed by one particle as the wave passes
the line along which the wave energy travels

In the ideal wave model, energy is transferred without net transfer of what?

wave speed
matter
energy
frequency

Which quantity is the horizontal time interval spanning one complete cycle on a displacement–time graph?

wavelength
amplitude
wave speed
period

A wave has f = 5.0 Hz and λ = 0.40 m. Find its speed.

2.0 m s⁻¹
12.5 m s⁻¹
0.080 m s⁻¹
5.4 m s⁻¹

How does vibration direction compare with travel in a transverse wave?

It is parallel to the direction of wave travel.
It is always in the direction of gravity.
It alternates between parallel and perpendicular every half-cycle.
It is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

In an ideal ripple-tank model, the water beside a dipper follows its vertical motion. Which driving motion produces a continuous wave train with amplitude 2.0 mm beside the dipper? Displacements are measured from the undisturbed water level.

Hold the dipper at a displacement of +2.0 mm.
Move the dipper repeatedly between +2.0 mm and −2.0 mm.
Move the dipper once between +2.0 mm and −2.0 mm, then stop.
Move the dipper repeatedly between +1.0 mm and −1.0 mm.

How does a tuning fork produce sound?

Its prongs move nearby air steadily away from the fork as a continuous flow.
Its vibrating prongs push and pull nearby particles, creating a travelling pressure disturbance.
Its prongs emit sound particles that travel to the listener.
Its prongs create sound in empty space without interacting with a medium.

What is a compression in a sound wave?

a region where particles are closer together and pressure is higher
a region where particles are farther apart and pressure is lower
a group of particles travelling together from source to listener
a region where particles stop vibrating and pressure is zero

For sound of a fixed frequency in the same medium, which wave quantity is associated with loudness?

wavelength alone
wave speed
amplitude
frequency

A sound source and timer are together a distance d from a wall. Why is d calculated from the echo return time t and sound speed v using d = vt/2?

The sound travels only to the wall, but the timer records twice the true time.
The measured echo time covers the journey to the wall and back.
The wall reflects only half of the sound speed.
The echo spends half the measured time stationary at the wall.

Practise

Practise: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 10 minutes

Practise

Questions are selected when you start. Use the feedback to decide what to practise next; this does not prove mastery.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

This check needs JavaScript to record answers. The reviewed questions are listed below for study.

Which statement correctly gives the phase relationship of points on one wavefront?

They reach their crests at different times along the line.
They are at the same stage of oscillation.
They have the same displacement but may be moving in opposite directions.
They are all the same distance from the edge of the tank.

Distinguish particle motion from energy transfer in a spring wave.

Coils oscillate locally while energy travels along the spring.
Each coil travels along the spring with the pulse and carries its energy.
The coils do not move; energy passes through a stationary spring.
Both the coils and the energy remain local, so nothing travels along the spring.

Which explanation correctly accounts for why period cannot be read as a distance?

Period is the maximum displacement and must be read vertically.
Period is a time for one cycle and must be read from a time axis.
Period is the distance between adjacent crests and must be read from a distance axis.
Period is a speed and therefore needs both distance and time axes.

Which option gives v for f = 25 Hz and λ = 0.12 m?

25.12 m s⁻¹
3.0 m s⁻¹
208 m s⁻¹
0.0048 m s⁻¹

A pulse travels to the right along a rope while a marked point on the rope moves up and down. How is the point's motion related to the pulse's travel?

The motion is perpendicular to the direction of travel.
The motion is parallel to the direction of travel.
The point travels to the right with the pulse.
The point remains stationary as the pulse passes.

A ripple-tank bar is to generate a regular wave train by completing 15 cycles in 3.0 s. Which driving instruction achieves this?

Hold the bar at a fixed height to generate five waves each second.
Move the bar up and down at 5.0 cycles per second.
Move the bar up and down at 45 cycles per second.
Move the bar up and down at 0.20 cycles per second.

Can sound travel through liquids and solids?

No. Sound can travel only through gases.
Yes, because sound can cross the empty gaps without particle interactions.
Only through liquids; particles in solids cannot vibrate.
Yes. Their particles can pass on mechanical disturbances.

In a repeating sound-wave compression diagram, which distance is one wavelength?

the width of one compression only
distance travelled by one air particle during a cycle
distance between the centres of adjacent compressions
distance from a compression to the adjacent rarefaction

Which wave quantity determines pitch?

echo time
frequency
amplitude
wave speed

What produces an echo?

absorption of sound by a soft surface
steady flow of air back from the surface
reflection of sound from a surface
refraction of sound as it enters a surface

Practise

Practise after feedback: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 10 minutes

Practise

Questions are selected when you start. Use the feedback to decide what to practise next; this does not prove mastery.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

This check needs JavaScript to record answers. The reviewed questions are listed below for study.

What is a wavefront?

a line joining points at the same phase
a line joining points with the same displacement, even if they move in opposite directions
the path followed by one particle as the wave passes
the line along which the wave energy travels

In the ideal wave model, energy is transferred without net transfer of what?

wave speed
matter
energy
frequency

Which quantity is the horizontal time interval spanning one complete cycle on a displacement–time graph?

wavelength
amplitude
wave speed
period

A wave has f = 5.0 Hz and λ = 0.40 m. Find its speed.

2.0 m s⁻¹
12.5 m s⁻¹
0.080 m s⁻¹
5.4 m s⁻¹

How does vibration direction compare with travel in a transverse wave?

It is parallel to the direction of wave travel.
It is always in the direction of gravity.
It alternates between parallel and perpendicular every half-cycle.
It is perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.

Hold the dipper at a displacement of +2.0 mm.
Move the dipper repeatedly between +2.0 mm and −2.0 mm.
Move the dipper once between +2.0 mm and −2.0 mm, then stop.
Move the dipper repeatedly between +1.0 mm and −1.0 mm.

How does a tuning fork produce sound?

Its prongs move nearby air steadily away from the fork as a continuous flow.
Its vibrating prongs push and pull nearby particles, creating a travelling pressure disturbance.
Its prongs emit sound particles that travel to the listener.
Its prongs create sound in empty space without interacting with a medium.

What is a compression in a sound wave?

a region where particles are closer together and pressure is higher
a region where particles are farther apart and pressure is lower
a group of particles travelling together from source to listener
a region where particles stop vibrating and pressure is zero

For sound of a fixed frequency in the same medium, which wave quantity is associated with loudness?

wavelength alone
wave speed
amplitude
frequency

A sound source and timer are together a distance d from a wall. Why is d calculated from the echo return time t and sound speed v using d = vt/2?

The sound travels only to the wall, but the timer records twice the true time.
The measured echo time covers the journey to the wall and back.
The wall reflects only half of the sound speed.
The echo spends half the measured time stationary at the wall.

Check my progress

Check my progress: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 10 minutes

Check my progress

Answer 11 questions. If accepted, this result can contribute to your course progress.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Check again

Check again: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 10 minutes

Check again

Answer 10 questions. If accepted, this result can contribute to your course progress.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Review

Review: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

A text-first wave and sound assessment with labelled controls and explicit directions, particle spacing, graph quantities, timings and units.

About 10 minutes

Review

Answer 11 questions. A scheduled review can contribute to your course progress only when it is due and the result is accepted.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Course and syllabus information

Course: SEC G3 Combined Science Physics component
Edition: SEC G3 Combined Science Physics component 2027

Check what I know: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

Check what I know: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

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Practise: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

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Practise after feedback: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

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Check again: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

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Review: General properties of waves · G3 Science Physics

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