Questions

Q1.

The diagram shows a water wave.

(a) (i) The amplitude of the wave is

(1)
A 1 cm
B 2 cm
C 4 cm
D 8 cm

(ii) The wavelength of the wave is

(1)
A 2 cm
B 4 cm
C 8 cm
D 20 cm

(b) Describe one difference between transverse and longitudinal waves.

Draw a labelled diagram to help your answer.
(3)

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 (c) State two properties that are the same for all electromagnetic waves.
(2)
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(d) Some types of wave are used in hospitals.

(i) A scanner uses one type of wave to check for broken bones.

The type of wave emitted by the scanner is

(1)
A infrared
B microwaves
C sound
D X rays

(ii) An image of the bone is seen because the waves from the scanner are
(1)
A absorbed by the bone
B reflected by the bone
C refracted by the bone
D transmitted by the bone

(iii) Name one type of wave that is used in cancer treatment and explain what it
does during the treatment.
(2)
Type of wave ..............................................................
Explanation of what it
does .......................................................................................................................................................
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(Total for question = 11 marks)

Q2.

A student watches a demonstration of the total internal reflection of light in a semicircular glass block.

(a) He takes notes, but some of his notes are wrong.

Place a tick or a cross the table to show which statements are right or wrong.
The first statement is right and has been done for you.
(2)
(b) Jewellers cut jewels so that total internal reflection is more likely.
Light enters a jewel along the normal AB and leaves along the normal CD as shown.
Between B and C there are two total internal reflections.

Complete the path of the light through the jewel.

(3)
(c) (i) Show, by calculation, that the critical angle for a refractive index of 1.5 is about 42°.
(3)

(ii) Explain why the quantity called refractive index has no unit.
(2)
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(d) The graph shows how critical angle varies with refractive index.
(i) Add the point (1.5, 42°) to the graph.
(1)

(ii) How can you tell that the point (1.5, 42°) is not anomalous?
(1)
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(iii) Suggest two reasons why the axes of the graph do not start from zero.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
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2 ..........................................................................................................................................
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(Total for question = 14 marks)

Q3.

In 1969, astronauts left a reflector on the surface of the Moon.

The reflector consists of mirrors at 90° to each other.

Scientists on Earth aim light from a laser at the reflector.
This light reflects back to them.
(a) The diagram shows two mirrors in the reflector.
Complete the diagram to show the path of the ray of light.
(2)

(b) The speed of light in a vacuum is 300 000 km/s.

The average time for a ray of light to travel to the Moon and back is about 2.6 s.
 Show that the Moon is about 400 000 km from the Earth.
(3)

(c) Scientists measure the time for the light to travel to the Moon and back very accurately,
but the time is different every day.
The graph shows how these times change over the period of one month.

(i) Suggest what can be deduced about the orbit of the Moon from the information
in the graph.
(3)
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(ii) The scientists also discovered that the average time for light to travel to the
Moon and back increases gradually every year.
What further information does this give about the orbit of the Moon?
(1)
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(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q4.

This question is about parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

(a) Which of these parts has the longest wavelength?

(1)
A gamma
B infrared
C radio
D visible

(b) State two properties that are the same for all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
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2 ..........................................................................................................................................
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(c) Discuss a use and a harmful effect for three parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
(6)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
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2 ..........................................................................................................................................
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3 ..........................................................................................................................................
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(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q5.

Polar bears have thick fur to keep them warm.

(a) This photograph of a polar bear was taken using visible light.
 Darker colours in this image indicate lower temperatures.
Discuss what information the image gives about the temperatures of the objects shown.
(2)
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(b) The polar bear's fur includes short hairs and longer hairs.
These longer hairs are hollow and contain air.
(i) Explain how its fur reduces the amount of thermal energy lost by the polar bear.
(2)
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(ii) Underneath its white fur, a polar bear has black skin.
Discuss how these colours affect the overall amount of thermal energy lost by the polar bear's body.
(3)
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(c) The diagram shows another image of the same scene.

The image was made during the day using ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

Brighter colours in this image indicate larger amounts of ultraviolet radiation.

The grey line is added to show the position of the polar bear.
(i) Compare the absorption and reflection of ultraviolet rays by the objects shown in the image.
(2)
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(ii) Suggest why the sky appears dark, even though the Sun emits ultraviolet rays.
(1)
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(iii) The hollow hairs in polar bear fur are transparent tubes filled with air.
It was thought that these hairs could act like optical fibres and guide ultraviolet rays down to the polar
bear's skin.
It is now known that this idea is incorrect. The ultraviolet rays do not reach the polar bear's skin.
The diagram shows an ultraviolet ray entering the air inside a hollow hair.
 Suggest why this radiation does not pass down to the polar bear's skin.
(2)
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(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q6.

Binoculars are used to look at distant objects.

Many binoculars use right-angled prisms.

The diagram shows two parallel rays of light, AB and FG, from a distant bird, incident on a right-angled
prism.

(a) (i) On the diagram, draw the normal at G.

(1)
(ii) Measure the angle of incidence at G and the angle of refraction at D.
(2)
angle of incidence at G = ...........................................................
angle of refraction at D = ...........................................................
(b) Explain what happens to the light ray at C.
(3)
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(c) Complete the diagram by drawing the path that light ray FG takes through the prism.
(3)

(Total for question = 9 marks)

Q7.

This question is about how light travels in water.

(a) Diagram 1 shows a ray of light from a torch submerged in a swimming pool.
The ray of light does not pass through the water surface.

(i) State the name of this process.

(1)
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(ii) Draw the normal on diagram 1 where the ray of light meets the water surface.
(1)
(iii) Measure the angle of incidence.
(1)
angle of incidence = ...........................................................
(iv) State the angle of reflection.
(1)
angle of reflection = ...........................................................
(b) The torch is moved and the ray of light now passes through the water surface.

(i) Draw a line on diagram 2 to continue the path of the ray of light.
(2)
(ii) State the name of this process.
(1)
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(c) (i) State the equation linking critical angle and refractive index.
(1)

(ii) The refractive index of water is 1.33

 Calculate the critical angle for the boundary between water and air.
Give your answer to three significant figures.
(3)

critical angle = ...........................................................

(iii) The torch is moved again so that the ray of light now meets the water surface at an angle of
incidence of 52°.
Explain what happens to this ray of light.
(2)
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(Total for question = 13 marks)

Q8.

This question is about different waves.

(a) The diagram shows two types of brain wave, alpha and delta.
Brain waves are caused by electrical signals in the brain.

Which row of the table correctly compares alpha and delta waves?
(1)

(b) Waves produced in earthquakes can be classified as transverse or longitudinal.

An earthquake wave is travelling in the direction shown by the arrow.

Which row of the table correctly shows the motion of the particles in each type of wave?
(1)
(c) The diagram shows a waterproof torch submerged in a tank of water.
Some rays of light, A, B, C and D, are shown.

Describe what is happening to rays A, B, C and D.

(4)
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(Total for question = 6 marks)

Q9.

A student is investigating refraction of light.

(a) What is refraction?
(1)
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(b) The diagram shows a ray of light travelling from air to glass.

Add labels to show the angle of incidence, i, and the angle of refraction, r.
(2)

(c) The student wants to find the refractive index of the glass.
(i) State the equation linking refractive index, angle of incidence and angle of
refraction.
(1)
(ii) The photograph shows the apparatus the student has available.

Describe how the student should carry out the experiment.

You should include:

 what the student should measure

 how the measurements should be made
 how the student should use a graph to find the refractive index.(6)
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(Total for question = 10 marks)

Q10.

A ray of light enters a glass block and is refracted as shown in Figure 1.

(a) Explain why the ray of light is refracted towards the normal.
(2)
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(b) Opals and diamonds are transparent stones used in jewellery.

Jewellers shape the stones so that light is reflected inside.
Figure 2 shows the path of a ray of light that enters and leaves a shaped piece of opal.
This ray of light is totally internally reflected.

(i) State the equation linking refractive index and critical angle.
(1)
 (ii) The critical angle of opal is 43°.
Show that the refractive index of opal is about 1.5.
(2)

(iii) The refractive index of diamond is 2.4.

Explain why rays of light inside a diamond are more likely to be totally
internally reflected than those inside an opal.
(3)
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(Total for question = 8 marks)

Mark Scheme
Q1.
Q2.
 (Total for question = 14 marks)

Q3.
Q4.
Q5.
(Total for question = 12 marks)
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Q10.