Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · PHYSICS · Chapter
Light and Sound
70 practice questions
Topics covered
Practice questions
51–60 of 70
Question 51
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A sound wave is displayed on an oscilloscope screen. The time for one complete wave (time period) on the screen is 0.01 s. Calculate the frequency of the sound wave. State the correct unit.
Question 52
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Sound waves cannot travel through a vacuum. Give a reason why.
Question 53
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A microphone is connected to an oscilloscope showing a sound wave. The trace shows a high number of waves close together. What does this tell you about the pitch of the sound, and why?
Question 54
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A drum is struck once to produce a sound in air. The drum's skin vibrates rapidly after being hit.
(a)[1 mark]State whether the sound wave produced by the drum is longitudinal or transverse.
(b)[2 marks]Explain how the sound travels from the drum to a listener's ear.
(c)[1 mark]Describe what would happen to the sound if the drum was played inside a vacuum.
Question 55
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A student investigates the speed of sound in air using the echo method. She stands 120 m from a large wall. She claps her hands and starts a stopwatch when she sees the clap, stopping the watch when she hears the first echo. The time recorded is 0.7 seconds.
(a)[1 mark]Calculate the distance travelled by the sound wave from the student to the wall and back.
(b)[3 marks]Calculate the speed of sound in air in this experiment. Give your answer to 2 significant figures. Use the equation:
Question 56
3 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →You have a signal generator, a loudspeaker, a microphone and an oscilloscope. You want to find the frequency of a sound wave produced by the loudspeaker.
(a)[2 marks]Describe how you would use the oscilloscope to find the frequency of the sound.
(b)[1 mark]You observe that one complete wave on the oscilloscope trace takes 0.004 s. Calculate the frequency of the sound wave.
Question 57
3 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Sound waves can be reflected and refracted much like light.
(a)[1 mark]Describe what happens when a sound wave meets a flat, hard surface such as a wall.
(b)[2 marks]Explain how ships use echoes to measure the depth of the sea below them.
Question 58
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →A table shows the results from five measurements of the speed of sound using the echo method.
Echo timing results Attempt Distance to wall (m) Time for echo (s) 1 100 0.60 2 100 0.59 3 100 0.62 4 100 0.61 5 100 0.58 (a)[1 mark]Explain why the experiment was repeated several times and an average taken.
(b)[1 mark]Calculate the average time for the echo.
(c)[2 marks]Calculate the average speed of sound from the average time, using:
where the sound travels from the student to the wall and back.
Question 59
1 mark · Normal
Answer and check →Which statement about sound waves is correct?
- A.Sound waves in air are transverse waves.
- B.Sound waves cannot be reflected.
- C.Sound waves travel faster in solids than in air.
- D.Sound waves can travel through vacuum.
Question 60
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →Two musical instruments, a violin and a cello, each produce a note and their sounds are shown as oscilloscope traces.
(a)[2 marks]Describe how you can tell from the trace which instrument produces the higher-pitched note.
(b)[2 marks]Explain what happens to the loudness of the sound if the amplitude of the wave on the oscilloscope is increased.