Name:___________________________________________ Period:_______ Date:_____________________

IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

1. Light travels from air into glass as shown below.

What is the refractive index of glass? Assume that the refractive index of air is 1.

sin P sin Q sin P sin Q

A. B. C. D.
sin S sin R sin R sin S
(Total 1 mark)

2. An object is undergoing simple harmonic motion with light damping. The natural frequency of
oscillation of the object is f 0 . A periodic force of frequency f is applied to the object. Which of the
following graphs best shows how the amplitude a of oscillation of the object varies with f?

(Total 1 mark)
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

3. The graph shows measurements of the height h of sea level at different times t in the Bay of Fundy.

Which of the following gives the approximate amplitude and period of the tides?

Amplitude Period
A. 6.5 m 6 hours
B. 13 m 12 hours
C. 6.5 m 12 hours
D. 13 m 6 hours
(Total 1 mark)

4. A transverse wave travels from left to right. The diagram below shows how, at a particular instant of
time, the displacement of particles in the medium varies with position. Which arrow represents the
direction of the velocity of the particle marked P?

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 2
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

5. The graph shows how the displacement varies with time for an object undergoing simple harmonic
motion.

Which graph shows how the object’s acceleration a varies with time t?

(Total 1 mark)

6. Two waves meet at a point in space. Which of the following properties always add together?

A. Displacement

B. Amplitude

C. Speed

D. Frequency
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 3
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

7. A particle oscillates with simple harmonic motion with period T.

At time t = 0, the particle has its maximum displacement. Which graph shows the variation with time t
of the kinetic energy Ek of the particle?

(Total 1 mark)

8. The graph shows how the velocity v of an object undergoing simple harmonic motion varies with time t
for one complete period of oscillation.

Which of the following sketch graphs best shows how the total energy E of the object varies with t?

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 4
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

9. The graphs show how the acceleration a of four different particles varies with their displacement x.
Which of the particles is executing simple harmonic motion?

(Total 1 mark)

10. A cart, connected to two identical springs, is oscillating with simple harmonic motion between two
points X and Y that are equidistant from point O.

The cart is in equilibrium at

A. all points between X and Y.

B. point O only.

C. points X and Y only.

D. points O, X and Y only.

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 5
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

11. The diagram below is a snapshot of wave fronts of circular waves emitted by a point source S at the
surface of water. The source vibrates at a frequency f = 10.0 Hz.

The speed of the wave front is

A. 0.15 cm s–1 . B. 1.5 cm s–1 . C. 15 cm s–1 . D. 30 cm s–1 .

(Total 1 mark)

12. What is the best estimate for the refractive index of a medium in which light travels at a speed of 2.7 ×
108 m s–1 ?

A. 0.9

B. 1.0

C. 1.1

D. 2.7
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 6
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

13. Two coherent point sources S1 and S2 emit spherical waves.

Which of the following best describes the intensity of the waves at P and Q?

P Q
A. maximum minimum
B. minimum maximum
C. maximum maximum
D. minimum minimum
(Total 1 mark)

14. For a system executing simple harmonic motion, the restoring force acting on the system is proportional
to the

A. displacement of the system from equilibrium.

B. amplitude of oscillation.

C. elastic potential energy.

D. frequency of oscillation.
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 7
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

15. An object at the end of a spring oscillates vertically with simple harmonic motion. The graph shows the
variation with time t of the displacement x. The amplitude is x0 and the period of oscillation is T.

Which of the following is the correct expression for the displacement x?

2 2
A.  x 0 cos t B. x 0 cos t
T T

2 2
C.  x 0 sin t D. x 0 sin t
T T
(Total 1 mark)

16. An object at the end of a spring oscillates vertically with simple harmonic motion. The graph shows the
variation with time t of the displacement x. The amplitude is x0 and the period of oscillation is T.

Which of the following is the correct expression for the maximum acceleration of the object?

2 2
A. x0 B. x0
T T2

4 2 4 2
C. x0 D. x0
T2 T

IB Questionbank Physics 8
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

(Total 1 mark)

17. The diagram below shows a pulse travelling along a rope from X to Y. The end Y of the rope is tied to a
fixed support.

When the pulse reaches end Y it will

A. disappear.

B. cause the end of the rope at Y to oscillate up and down.

C. be reflected and be inverted.

D. be reflected and not be inverted.

(Total 1 mark)

18. A mass on the end of a horizontal spring is displaced from its equilibrium position by a distance A and
released. Its subsequent oscillations have total energy E and time period T.

An identical mass is attached to an identical spring. The maximum displacement is 2A. Assuming this
spring obeys Hooke’s law, which of the following gives the correct time period and total energy?

New time period New energy

A. T 4E
B. T 2E
C. 2T 4E
D. 2T 2E
(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 9
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

19. The graph below shows how the displacement x of a particle undergoing simple harmonic motion varies
with time t. The motion is undamped.

Which of the following graphs correctly shows how the velocity v of the particle varies with t?

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 10
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

20. An orchestra playing on boat X can be heard by tourists on boat Y, which is situated out of sight of boat
X around a headland.

The sound from X can be heard on Y due to

A. refraction.

B. reflection.

C. diffraction.

D. transmission.
(Total 1 mark)

21. Which of the following correctly describes the change, if any, in the speed, wavelength and frequency of
a light wave as it passes from air into glass?

Speed Wavelength Frequency

A. decreases decreases unchanged

B. decreases unchanged decreases

C. unchanged increases decreases

D. increases increases unchanged

(Total 1 mark)

IB Questionbank Physics 11
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

22. This question is about oscillations and waves.

(a) A rectangular piece of wood of length l floats in water with its axis vertical as shown in diagram
1.

The length of wood below the surface is d. The wood is pushed vertically downwards a distance A
such that a length of wood is still above the water surface as shown in diagram 2. The wood is
then released and oscillates vertically. At the instant shown in diagram 3, the wood is moving
downwards and the length of wood beneath the surface is d + x.

(i) On diagram 3, draw an arrow to show the direction of the acceleration of the wood.
(1)

(ii) The acceleration a of the wood (in m s –2 ) is related to x (in m) by the following equation.

14
a=  x
l

Explain why this equation shows that the wood is executing simple harmonic motion.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(iii) The period of oscillation of the wood is 1.4 s. Show that the length l of the wood is 0.70 m.

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
IB Questionbank Physics 12
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

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

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(b) The wood in (a), as shown in diagram 2, is released at time t = 0. On the axes below, sketch a
graph to show how the velocity v of the wood varies with time over one period of oscillation.

(1)

(c) The distance A that the wood is initially pushed down is 0.12 m.

(i) Calculate the magnitude of the maximum acceleration of the wood.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) On your sketch graph in (b) label with the letter P one point where the magnitude of the
acceleration is a maximum.
(1)

(d) The oscillations of the wood generate waves in the water of wavelength 0.45 m.
The graph shows how the displacement D, of the water surface at a particular distance from the
wood varies with time t.

IB Questionbank Physics 13
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

Using the graph, calculate the

(i) speed of the waves.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) ratio of the displacement at t = 1.75 s to the displacement at t = 0.35 s.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

IB Questionbank Physics 14
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

(iii) ratio of the energy of the wave at t = 1.75 s to the energy at t = 0.35 s

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

...........................................................................................................................
(1)
(Total 15 marks)

23. This question is about water wave motion.

A small sphere, mounted at the end of a vertical rod, dips below the surface of shallow water in a tray.
The sphere is driven vertically up and down by a motor attached to the rod.
The oscillations of the sphere produce travelling waves on the surface of t he water.

(a) The diagram shows how the displacement of the water surface at a particular instant in time varies
with distance from the sphere. The period of oscillation of the sphere is 0.027 s.

IB Questionbank Physics 15
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

Use the diagram to calculate, for the wave,

(i) the amplitude.

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

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the wavelength.

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

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iii) the frequency.

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

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(iv) the speed.

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

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

IB Questionbank Physics 16
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

(b) The wave moves from region A into a region B of shallower water. The waves move more slowly
in region B. The diagram (not to scale) shows some of the wavefronts in region A.

(i) With reference to a wave, distinguish between a ray and a wavefront.

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) The angle between the wavefronts and the interface in region A is 60°. The refractive index
An B is 1.4.

Determine the angle between the wavefronts and the interface in region B.

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)

(iii) On the diagram above, construct three lines to show the position of three wavefronts in
region B.
(2)

(c) Another sphere is dipped into the water. The spheres oscillate in phase. The diagram shows some
lines in region A along which the disturbance of the water surface is a minimum.
IB Questionbank Physics 17
IB-1 Practice – Oscillations & Waves

(i) Outline how the regions of minimum disturbance occur on the surface.

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

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

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(3)

(ii) The frequency of oscillation of the spheres is increased.

State and explain how this will affect the positions of minimum disturbance.

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

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

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

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

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 15 marks)

IB Questionbank Physics 18