Physics 9702 · AS & A Level
Transverse and longitudinal waves
44 practice questions on Transverse and longitudinal waves, with worked solutions and instant marking.
Which statement concerning light waves and sound waves is correct?
Feb/March 2017
A sound wave travels through air. The diagram shows the positions of the air molecules at one instant. Which distance is the same as the wavelength of the wave?
Feb/March 2019
In the upper row, the bars show a group of particles within the Earth that are stationary. In the lower row, the same particles are shown at a particular instant while a longitudinal wave moves through the Earth from left to right. What quantity should be measured in order to determine the amplitude of the particles’ oscillations in the lower row as the wave passes?
Feb/March 2019
Which row gives a description of a longitudinal wave and a medium through which it can travel?
Feb/March 2020
Which statement is true for longitudinal waves but is not true for transverse waves?
Feb/March 2021
Which statement concerning sound waves in air at a constant temperature is correct?
May/June 2011
Which statement regarding sound waves in air when the temperature remains constant is correct?
May/June 2011
Which observation provides evidence that sound waves are longitudinal?
May/June 2012
Which observation demonstrates that sound waves are longitudinal?
May/June 2012
Which statement is true for every transverse wave?
May/June 2013
Which one of the following statements about longitudinal waves is correct?
May/June 2014
A sound wave travels through air at a speed of $320\,\text{m s}^{-1}$. The graph shows how the displacement of an air particle caused by this wave changes with time. Which statement about the sound wave is correct?
May/June 2015
Which statement concerning progressive longitudinal waves is incorrect?
May/June 2017
In a longitudinal wave, the particles vibrate in a direction parallel to the direction in which the wave transfers energy. This wave may be shown on a graph of particle displacement against distance from the source. Which point on the graph marks the centre of a compression?
May/June 2018
The graph shows how particle displacement changes with distance along a transverse wave at one instant. The wave is travelling to the right. Which point on the wave is a position where the particles are moving upwards at the greatest speed?
May/June 2019
A longitudinal wave moves from left to right, and the oscillations are parallel to the direction in which the wave transfers energy. This wave may be shown on a graph of how the particles’ displacement from their equilibrium positions varies with distance at a single moment. Which point on the graph marks the centre of a compression?
May/June 2021
A transverse water wave is travelling across the surface of water. As the ball floats on the surface, it moves up and down, but not sideways. At one moment, the ball is at the position illustrated. The wave has a frequency of $0.20\,\text{Hz}$ and an amplitude of $0.70\,\text{m}$. The separation between a trough and a neighbouring peak is $2.4\,\text{m}$. How far does the ball travel in $20\,\text{s}$?
May/June 2022
A transverse wave and a longitudinal wave each move in the same direction along a long stretched spring. Which statement about these two kinds of wave is not correct?
May/June 2022
A longitudinal wave is moving from left to right. The graph illustrates how the displacement of the particles changes with distance along the wave at a particular instant in time. Displacements to the right are taken as positive, whereas displacements to the left are taken as negative. Which labelled point indicates a compression?
May/June 2023
The diagram illustrates the form, at a particular instant, of part of a stretched string as a wave moves along it from left to right. In which directions are the velocities of points 1, 2 and 3 on the string at this instant?
May/June 2024
Which type of wave cannot be longitudinal?
May/June 2024
Which statement correctly describes longitudinal and transverse wave motion in a progressive wave?
May/June 2025
A sound wave moves from left to right. At one moment, the graph shows how the displacement of particles in the sound wave to the right varies with distance. Which letter shows the centre of a compression?
May/June 2025
Which statement makes a comparison between the behaviour of transverse waves and longitudinal waves?
May/June 2025
A progressive longitudinal wave is moving horizontally from left to right. A graph showing the wave at a single moment in time is given. Which row might show the correct labels for the $x$-axis and $y$-axis of this graph?
May/June 2025
Using the vibrations of points on a wave together with the direction of energy transfer, distinguish between transverse waves and longitudinal waves.
Oct/Nov 2011
Which objects do not travel at the speed of light in a vacuum?
Oct/Nov 2012
Which statement correctly describes a light wave and a sound wave?
Oct/Nov 2013
Which statement about a light wave and a sound wave is correct?
Oct/Nov 2013
A liquid carries high-frequency sound waves of frequency $2.0\,\text{MHz}$ at a speed of $2.0\,\text{km s}^{-1}$. What is the minimum separation between a compression and a rarefaction (expansion) in the liquid?
Oct/Nov 2016
As sound moves through air, the air particles oscillate. A displacement-time graph for one air particle is shown. Which graph best represents how the kinetic energy of the air particle changes with time?
Oct/Nov 2017
Which type of wave is longitudinal?
Oct/Nov 2017
The graph shows how a quantity $P$ varies with a quantity $Q$ for a sound wave travelling in air. What could $P$ and $Q$ represent?
Oct/Nov 2018
Which statement is correct for every type of transverse wave?
Oct/Nov 2019
Which of the following statements about a light wave and a sound wave is correct?
Oct/Nov 2019
Which statement concerning light waves and sound waves is incorrect?
Oct/Nov 2019
The graph shows a sound wave. Which statement is correct?
Oct/Nov 2019
Which statement concerning transverse or longitudinal waves is incorrect?
Oct/Nov 2021
The table shows descriptions and examples of waves. Which row is correct?
Oct/Nov 2021
A longitudinal wave moves along a long spring. The spring is shown at one moment. What is the wavelength of the wave?
Oct/Nov 2021
A transverse wave is moving along a rope. The diagram shows the rope at time $t = 0$. The wave is moving from left to right. Its period is $T$. A particle on the rope is marked $X$. Which graph shows how the displacement of particle $X$ varies with time from $t = 0$ to $t = 2T$?
Oct/Nov 2022
Which statement about progressive transverse and longitudinal waves is correct?
Oct/Nov 2022
A progressive longitudinal sound wave travels through air. The diagram shows the positions of the air particles along part of the wave at one instant. Point Q is at a distance $x$ from point P. Which graph shows how the displacement of the air particles varies with distance from P along the wave?
Oct/Nov 2024
A transverse water wave has frequency $15\,\text{Hz}$, wavelength $0.12\,\text{m}$ and amplitude $4.0\,\text{mm}$. $P$ is a water particle that starts at the crest of the wave, as shown. What total vertical distance does $P$ travel in a time of $0.5\,\text{s}$?
Oct/Nov 2024