IGCSE PHYSICS

YEAR 10 Test
Waves and Light

Instructions:
Answer all questions.
Write in dark blue or black pen.
You may use a pencil for any diagrams, graphs or rough working.
You may lose marks if you do not show your working or if you do not use appropriate units.
The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.

Part A, B, C: Knowledge and Understanding

/52

Part D: Experimental Physics

/28

Waves and Light Test

Chapter 7 and 8

Name: _____________________________

PART A:
1) Fill in the chart (4):
Quantity
Symbol
Speed

Unit

Wavelength
Frequency
Index of Refraction
2) Write the equation relating speed, wavelength and frequency (1):

3) Draw a transverse wave and label the following quantities (3):

Amplitude
Wavelength

4) Draw a longitudinal wave and label the following (2)

Wavelength

5) Write the two equations for the index of refraction (2):

Unit Symbol

PART B: Multiple Choice

1) Which of these waves is longitudinal?
A infra-red
B radio
C sound
D water

2)

Radio waves are received at a house at the bottom of a hill.

The waves reach the house because the hill has caused them to be
A diffracted.
B radiated.
C reflected.
D refracted.

3)

The diagram shows a ray of light travelling from X. Angle P is less than the critical angle. In which direction does
the ray continue?

4)

The diagram shows the image of a clock in a plane mirror.

What time is shown?

A 02:25

5)

B 02:35

C 09:25

D 09:35

Water waves in a tank pass over a thin plastic block as shown.

What happens to the waves as they reach the plastic block?

A
They are diffracted because they slow down.
B
They are diffracted because they speed up.
C
They are refracted because they slow down.
D
They are refracted because they speed up.

6)

A scientist is trying to direct a ray of light through a glass block without any light leaving the top of
the block. However, some light does leave the top.

The scientist changes angle X and stops the ray of light leaving the top. Which row in the table describes the
change to angle X and the name of the effect produced?

7)

An object O is placed in front of a converging lens of focal length f. At which point will the top of the image be
seen?

8)

In the diagram, the distance OP is the focal length of the lens. Through which point will the ray shown pass, after
refraction by the lens?

9)

The diagrams represent water waves in a tank. Which diagram represents waves that change speed?

10) The diagram shows a section through a series of waves on water. Which dotted line shows the position of the
still water surface after the waves have passed?

PART C: Long Answer

1

(a) Fig. 1.1 shows a ray of monochromatic red light, in air, incident on a glass block at an angle of incidence
of 50.

(i) State what is meant by monochromatic light.

Fig. 1.1

.......................................................................................................................................[1]
(ii) For this red ray the refractive index of the glass is 1.52. Calculate the angle of refraction for the ray.

angle of refraction = ...........................................................[2]

(iii) Without measuring angles, use a ruler to draw the approximate path of the ray in the glass block and
emerging from the block.
[2]
(b) The red ray in Fig. 1.1 is replaced by a ray of monochromatic violet light. For this violet ray the refractive
index of the glass is 1.54. The speed of light in air is 3.00 108 m / s.
(i) Calculate the speed of the violet light in the glass block.

speed = ...........................................................[2]
(ii) Use a ruler to draw the approximate path of this violet ray in the glass block and emerging from the block.
Make sure this path is separated from the path drawn for the red light in (a)(iii). Mark both parts of this path
with the letter V.
[2]

Fig. 2.1 shows part of the path of a ray of light PQ travelling in an optical fibre.

Fig. 2.1
PQ undergoes total internal reflection at Q.
(a) Explain what is meant by total internal reflection, and state the conditions under which it occurs.
................................................................................................................................................... ........................
........................................................................................................................... ................................................
................................................................................................... ........................................................................
........................................................................... ................................................................................................
...................................................
(b)

[3]

Carefully complete the path of the ray of light, until it reaches the end R of the optical fibre. [2]

(a) The following list contains the names of types of energy transfer by means of waves.
-rays,
(i)

infra-red,

radio/TV/microwaves, sound,

visible light,

X-rays

Which one of these is not a type of electromagnetic wave?

..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(ii)

State the nature of the wave you have named in (a)(i).

..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(iii)

The remaining names in the list are all regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, but one region is

missing. Name the missing

region. ..................................................................................................................................... [1]
(b) A television station emits waves with a frequency of 2.5 108 Hz. Electromagnetic waves travel at a
speed of 3.0 108 m / s. Calculate the wavelength of the waves emitted by this television station. State the
equation you use.

wavelength = ......................................................... [3]

Fig. 4.1 shows a scale drawing of plane waves approaching a gap in a barrier.

Fig 3.1

(a) On Fig. 4.1, draw in the pattern of the waves after they have passed the gap.
[3]
(b) The waves approaching the barrier have a wavelength of 2.5 cm and a speed of 20 cm/s. Calculate the
frequency of the waves.

frequency = ................................................ [2]

(c)

State the frequency of the diffracted waves.

........................................................................................................................................... [1]

Fig. 5.1 shows a thin converging lens. The two principal foci are shown.

Fig. 5.1
A vertical object, 2cm tall, is to be positioned to the left of the lens, with one end on the principal axis.
On Fig. 5.1,
(a) draw the object in a position which will produce a virtual image, labelling the object with
the letter O,
[1]
(b) draw two rays showing how the virtual image is formed, [2]
(c) draw in the image, labelling it with the letter I.

[1]

PART D: Experimental Physics

1)

The IGCSE class is investigating the formation of images by a lens. Fig 1.1 shows the apparatus.

Fig 1.1
A student places the screen about 1.0 m from the illuminated object. He places the lens between the
object and the screen at a distance u = 0.200 m from the object. He adjusts the position of the screen
until a clearly focused image is formed on the screen. He records the distance v between the centre of the
lens and the screen. He repeats the procedure using different values of u. The readings are shown in
Table 1.1.
Table 1.1

(a) State and briefly explain one precaution you would take in order to obtain reliable measurements in
this experiment.
precaution ................................................................................................................................. ....................
...............................................................................................................................
explanation ............................................................................................................................... ....................
............................................................................................................................... ........................................
....................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Plot the graph of 1/v (y-axis) against 1/u(x-axis). Both axes must start at 0 and extend to 7.0.

[4]

(c)

(i) Use the graph to find the intercept on the y-axis. intercept on the
y-axis = ...............................................................

(ii) Use the graph to find the intercept on the x-axis. intercept on the

x-axis = ...............................................................

[2]

2)

An IGCSE student is investigating reflection of light in a plane mirror. Fig. 2.1 shows the students ray
trace sheet.

Fig 2.1

(a) The line MR shows the position of a mirror.

(i)
Draw a normal to this line that passes through its centre. Label the normal NL. Label the point at
which NL crosses MR with the letter B.
[1]
(ii) Draw a line 8cm long from B at an angle of incidence i = 40 to the normal below MR and to the left of
the normal. Label the end of this line A. Record the angle of incidence i in the first row of Table 2.1.
Table 2.1

[2]

(b)

Fig. 2.2 shows the mirror which is made of polished metal and has a vertical line drawn on it.

Fig. 2.2
The student places the mirror, with its reflecting face vertical, on MR. The lower end of the line on the
mirror is at point B. He places a pin P1 at A. He views the line on the mirror and the image of pin P1 from
the direction indicated by the eye in Fig. 4.1. He places two pins P2 and P3 some distance apart so that
pins P3, P2, the image of P1, and the line on the mirror all appear exactly one behind the other. The
positions of P2 and P3 are shown.
(i)
Draw the line joining the positions of P2 and P3. Continue the line until it meets the normal.
(ii) Measure, and record in the first row of Table 4.1, the angle of reflection r between the
normal and the line passing through P2 and P3.
[2]
(c) The student draws a line parallel to MR and 2 cm above it. He places the mirror on this line and
repeats the procedure without changing the position of pin P1. His readings for i and r are shown in the
table.
In spite of carrying out this experiment with reasonable care, it is possible that the values of the angle of
reflection r will not be exactly the same as the values obtained from theory. Suggest two possible causes
of this inaccuracy.
1. ............................................................................................................................................... ....................
...............................................................................................................................
2. ............................................................................................................................................... ....................
...........................................................................................................................[2]
d) The student was asked to list precautions that should be taken with this experiment in order to obtain
readings that are as accurate as possible. Table 2.2 shows the suggestions.
Place a tick () in the second column of the table next to each correctly suggested precaution.
Table 2.2

3)

An IGCSE student is determining the focal length of a converging lens. The apparatus is shown in Fig.
3.1.

Fig. 3.1
(a) The student places the lens at a distance x = 25.0 cm from the illuminated object. She places the
screen close to the lens and then moves it away from the lens until a sharply focused image is formed on
the screen. She measures and records the distance y between the lens and the screen.
y = 37.1cm
Calculate the focal length f of the lens using the equation
f = _xy_
(x + y)

f = ................................................... [2]
(b) She then repeats the procedure with the lens at a distance x = 30.0cm from the illuminated object.
Fig. 4.1 shows this position of the apparatus. It is a scale diagram.
(i)
On Fig. 4.1, measure the distance xs between the lens and the illuminated object. Also on Fig. 4.1,
measure the distance ys between the lens and the screen.
xs = ......................................................
ys = ......................................................
(ii) Calculate the actual distance y between the lens and the screen.

y = ......................................................
(iii) Calculate the focal length f using the new values of x and y.

f = ......................................................
(iv) Calculate the average value of f. Show your working.

average value of f = ......................................................

(c)

[7]

The illuminated object has the shape shown below.

Draw a diagram to show the appearance of the focused image in (b) on the screen.

[1]