Science

Year 8 Physics

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Sound and Light Topic Test

Time Allowed: 50 minutes

 The answers should be written on the question paper.

 Attempt all of the questions.

 Calculators and rulers may be used.

Name: ____________________

Teacher: __________________
What have you done What could you have Set yourself a target
TOTAL /52 well in? worked on more? for improvement.

Grade

CG

Q1.
The diagram below shows part of the human ear.

We can hear somebody speaking because sound waves enter our ears.

(a) (i) What do our eardrums do when sound waves reach them?

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1 mark

(ii) Sometimes a lot of wax is produced in the ear.

The wax rests against the eardrum, as shown above.

Give one reason why we cannot hear very well when our ears
contain a lot of wax.

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1 mark

(b) The table below shows the lowest and highest frequencies that five living things
can hear.

living lowest frequency highest frequency

thing (Hz) (Hz)

human 20 20 000

sparrow 300 20 000

dog 20 45 000

cat 20 64 000

rabbit 300 42 000

(i) Which three living things from the table cannot hear a frequency of
 43 000 Hz?

.............................. and .............................. and ..............................

1 mark

(ii) From the table, choose the living thing that can hear the biggest range of
frequencies.

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1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

Q2. Human hearing is sensitive to a range of loudness. The units of loudness are decibels (dB).
Table 1 shows the loudness of some sounds.

Table 1

Sound Loudness in dB

Busy road traffic 70

Disco (at the front) 110

Normal talking 60

Personal stereo 100

(loud)

Vacuum cleaner 80

Whisper 20

a) Sounds up to 80 dB cause no damage to hearing, no matter how long you listen to the
sound. They are described as ‘safe sounds’.

Which sounds in Table 1 are considered ‘safe’?

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(2)

b) Damage to hearing also depends on how much time you listen to the sound each day.

The maximum time that does not cause damage to hearing is shown in Table 2.
 Table 2

Sound loudness in Time limit for exposure

dB

Up to 80 No limit

85 8 hours

90 4 hours

95 2 hours

100 1 hour

105 30 minutes

110 15 minutes

115 7.5 minutes

120 3.75 minutes

i. Describe the pattern shown in Table 2 for increasing loudness from 85 dB.

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(2)
ii. Use data from Table 1 and Table 2 to give the maximum time you should listen to a
loud personal stereo each day.

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(1)
Maximum 5 marks
Q3.
Three pupils took part in an investigation into the speed of sound.
All three pupils stood 1020 m from an explosion.

• Sylvia wore a blindfold.

• Paul wore ear defenders.

• James wore a blindfold and ear defenders. He rested his head on a wooden
stick pushed into the ground so that he could feel vibrations.

The explosion produced sound and light at the same time.

The table shows the speed of sound in two different materials.

Speed of sound
material
(m/s)

air 340

soil 3200

(a) Use all the information above to help you answer parts (i) and (ii) below.

(i) In which order would the pupils notice the explosion?

first ......................................................................................................

second ................................................................................................

third .....................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) From the information given, calculate the time it would take for the sound to
travel through the air to Sylvia.

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.......................................................................................................... s
2 mark
(b) Another pupil, Nasah, stood 2000 m away from the explosion.

(i) The sound heard by Nasah was quieter than the sound heard by Sylvia.
The further sound travels the quieter it becomes.
Give the reason for this.

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1 mark

(ii) The oscilloscope trace below represents the sound Sylvia heard.

The sound Nasah heard was quieter but the pitch was the same.

On the right-hand grid, draw the trace to show the pattern of the sound
Nasah heard.
2 marks
Maximum 5 marks
Q4.
(a) A teacher shines a laser beam onto a classroom window. It reflects off the
window and onto a screen.

On the diagram above, continue the laser beam to show its path as it reflects off
the window and onto the screen. Use a ruler.
Add arrows to show the direction of the laser beam.
2 marks

(b) (i) When a pupil plays her flute in the classroom the window vibrates.
Give the reason for this.

.............................................................................................................

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1 mark

(ii) When the window vibrates, what happens to the laser beam that is reflected
off the window?

.............................................................................................................

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1 mark
(c) The teacher places a microphone near the pupil as she plays her flute. The
diagram below shows the pattern on an oscilloscope screen.

The pupil then plays her flute at a higher pitch and more quietly.
Which diagram below shows the pattern that would be seen on the oscilloscope?
Tick the correct box.

1 mark
Maximum 5 marks
Q5.
The diagram below shows the shapes and positions of five glass objects.

Harriet put a square of black card on top of each glass object.

She shone a ray of red light onto each object.

The diagrams below show the rays of light going under the cards and coming out
again.
Which object is under each card? Write the correct letter below each diagram.
One has been done for you.
4 marks
 Maximum 4 marks

Q6.
Tom is doing a bungee jump from a bridge.

He is attached to one end of an elastic rope.

The other end of the rope is attached to the bridge.
Tom jumps from the bridge.

(a) (i) What force makes Tom fall towards the ground?

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1 mark

(ii) Tom does not hit the river below the bridge.
What makes Tom stop falling before he hits the river?

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1 mark

(b) The next person to do a bungee jump is Jill.

Jill weighs less than Tom.

Complete the sentence below using words from the box.

more than less than the same as

When Jill jumps, the rope will stretch ...........................................................

it did when Tom jumped.

1 mark
(c) Jill’s dad watches her doing the bungee jump.
He is standing a long way from the bridge.
Jill shouts ‘bungee’ at the same time as she jumps off the bridge.
Jill’s dad sees her jump before he hears her shout.

(i) Why does Jill’s dad see her jump before he hears her shout?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Tom is near Jill when she shouts. Her dad is far away.

Complete the sentence to describe how the shout will sound to Tom
compared with Jill’s dad. Use one word from the box.

louder higher lower quieter

The shout will sound ............................................ to Tom.

1 mark

Maximum 5 marks
Q7.
(a) Peter tried to obtain a mixture of red and green light.
He used white light from a spotlight and slotted a red filter and a green filter in
front of it as shown below.

The diagram below represents Peter’s experiment.

(i) No light reached the screen. Explain why.

.............................................................................................................

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2 marks

(ii) Peter cut a circular hole in the green filter. Describe what Peter would see on
the screen.

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1 mark

(b) Peter used two spotlights to shine a mixture of red and green light on to some red
curtains.

(i) What colour did the red curtains appear in this light?
 ...................................................
1 mark

(ii) Give the reasons why they appeared this colour.

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2 marks
Maximum 6 marks

Q8.
(a) The diagram below shows a fish tank.

The surface of the water acts like a mirror.

The fish can see the snail reflected in the surface of the water.

Draw a ray of light which passes from the snail, and reflects from the surface, to
show how the fish can see the snail. Use a ruler.

Put arrows on the ray of light.

3 marks

(b) Andrew is looking at the snail.

When a ray of light passes from water to air it changes direction.

(i) Draw a ray of light from the snail to Andrew to show how Andrew can see
the snail. Use a ruler.

Put arrows on the ray of light.

2 marks

(ii) What is the name given to this change in the direction of a ray of light?

.............................................
1 mark
Maximum 6 marks
Q9. The diagram shows a boat using an echo sounder. It sends a pulse of sound waves which
is reflected from the sea bottom. The reflected sound waves are detected by a sensitive
microphone.

The time between sending and receiving the pulse is 0.005 s. The device calculates the depth
of the sea, using the speed of sound in sea water, which is 1500 m/s.

(a) Calculate the depth of the sea. Show your working.

......................................................................................................................

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3 marks

(b) The boat moves into very deep water. Explain why the reflected pulse is too weak to
be detected.

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1 mark

(c) The boat’s ‘echo sounder’ could not be used in an aeroplane to measure its height
above the ground unless it had been modified.

Explain why the device will not give correct heights above the ground.

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1 mark
Maximum 5 marks
Q10. Describe an investigation for measuring the speed of sound in air.

You may use a labelled diagram to help explain your answer.

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Maximum 6 marks.