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Release date: August 2003

9 Nature of Waves

Practice 9.1 (p. 13)

1 False

2 False

3 False

4 C

5 D

6 C

7 (a) C
(b) A
(c) B

8 (a) The frequency of a wave is the number of waves produced in 1 s.

⇒ 5 Hz means that 5 waves are produced in 1 s.
1
(b) By f = ,
T
1 1
T = f = 5 = 0.2 s

The period of the wave is 0.2 s.

T 5T 9T
9 (a) Three smallest possible values are: , and .
4 4 4
T
(b) 0.05 =
4
T = 0.2 s
The greatest possible period is 0.2 s.

10 By v = fλ,
v = 10 × 0.01 = 0.1 m s−1
The speed of the water wave is 0.1 m s−1.

distance travelled
11 (a) Wave speed =
time taken
5
= = 1.67 m s−1
3
The wave speed is 1.67 m s−1.
(b) By v = fλ,
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v 1.67
λ= f = = 0.835 m
2
The wavelength of the wave is 0.835 m.

12
12 (a) Wavelength λ = =4m
3
The wavelength of the wave is 4 m.
distance travelled
(b) Wave speed v =
time taken
12
= = 6 m s−1
2
The wave speed of the wave is 6 m s−1.
(c) By v = fλ,
v 6
f= = = 1.5 Hz
λ 4
The frequency of the wave is 1.5 Hz.

4
13 (a) Wavelength λ = = 0.16 m
25
The wavelength of the wave is 0.16 m.
distance travelled 4
(b) Wave speed v = = = 0.4 m s−1
time taken 10
The wave speed of the wave is 0.4 m s−1.
(c) By v = fλ,
v 0.4
f= = = 2.5 Hz
λ 0.16
The frequency of the wave is 2.5 Hz.

Practice 9.2 (p. 24)

1 C
3
The wave will have travelled λ in 0.75 s.
4

2 D
Displacement of bead c = 0.6 × 5 = 3 cm
Beads e and m are two successive compressions in the wave.
⇒ Separation between them is equal to the wavelength λ of the wave
⇒ λ = 8 × 5 = 40 cm

3 A
Period of bead c = 4 × 0.1 = 0.4 s
1
⇒f= = 25 Hz
T

4 C
By v = fλ,
v = 25 × 0.4 = 1 m s−1
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5 W and Y are momentarily at rest.

X is moving upwards.
Z is moving downwards.

0.03
6 (a) (i) Amplitude A = = 0.015 m
2
The amplitude of the wave is 0.015 m.
4
(ii) Wavelength λ = =2m
2
The wavelength of the wave is 2 m.
1 1
(iii) f = = 0.2 = 10 Hz
T 2
The frequency of the wave is 10 Hz.
(iv) By v = fλ,
v = 10 × 2 = 20 m s−1
The frequency of the wave is 20 m s−1.
(b) (i) Particles X and Z are in phase.
(ii) Particles W and Y are exactly out of phase.
(iii) Particle W is on a wave crest.
(iv) Particle Y is on a wave trough.

7 (a) (i) Wavelength λ = 6.4 cm

(ii) Since particle P undergoes the smallest number of oscillation at the
1
instances shown, P should have oscillated for period at t = 0.25 s.
4
⇒ period T = 1 s and frequency f = 1 Hz
(iii) By v = fλ,
v = 1 × 6.4 = 6.4 m s−1
The wave speed of the wave is 6.4 m s−1.
(b) The wave is travelling towards the right.

where '0' is the position of the vibrator.

9
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Revision exercise 9

Multiple-choice (p. 28)

Section A
1 (HKCEE 1999 Paper II Q20)

2 (HKCEE 2000 Paper II Q24)

3 (HKCEE 2002 Paper II Q25)

Section B
4 C

5 B
From the displacement-distance graph, wavelength of the wave is 0.5 m.
By v = fλ,
v 20
f= = = 40 Hz
λ 0.5
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6 C
From the displacement-distance graph, the wavelength of the wave is 2 cm.
From the displacement-time graph of particle A, the period of the wave is 0.2 s.
By v = fλ,
1
v= × 0.02 = 0.1 m s−1
0.2

7 C

8 C

9 (HKCEE 2001 Paper II Q23)

Conventional (p. 29)

Section A
1 (a) Transverse pulse (1A)
distance travelled
(b) Speed of the pulse = (1M)
time taken
2
= = 2 m s−1 (1A)
1

2 (a) By v = fλ, (1M)

v 0.01
f= = = 0.25 Hz (1A)
λ 0.04
(b)

Correct wavelength (1A)

Correct amplitude (1A)
Correct waveform at t + 1 s (1A)

distance travelled
3 Pulse speed = (1M)
time taken
10
= = 10 m s−1 (1A)
1

4 (a)
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Correct data points (1A)

Correct curve (1A)
All correct (1A)
(b) Decreases (1A)
(c) (i) From the graph, the wavelength is 1.6 m when frequency is 200 Hz.
(ii)
Wavelength λ 0.7 1.0 1.5 2.5 4.0
(m)
Frequency f 460 320 210 130 80
(Hz)
Wave speed 322 320 315 325 320 (1A)

v = fλ (m s−1)
322 + 320 + 315 + 325 + 320
The average wave speed = (1M)
5
= 320.4 m s−1 (1A)
The average speed of sound is 320.4 m s−1.

Section B
5 (a) A is moving downwards. (1A)
B and C are moving upwards. (2A)
(b) The greatest height that each particle can attain is equal to the amplitude of the
wave and (1A)
it is 1 cm. (1A)
(c) Wavelength = 4 cm (1A)
(d)

Correct waveform (1A)

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Correct positions of A, B and C (1A)

6 (HKCEE 2002 Paper I Q4)

7 (a) (i) Decreases (1A)

(ii) The amplitude of the waves recorded by the trace decreases with time.
(1A)
(b) 5 waves are recorded during the 20 s. (1A)
⇒ frequency = number of waves produced per second (1M)
5
= = 0.25 Hz (1A)
20
The frequency of the waves recorded is 0.25 Hz.
(c) (i) A transverse wave is one in which the vibrations are at right angles to the
travelling direction of the wave. (1A)
A longitudinal wave is one in which the vibrations are along the
travelling direction of the wave. (1A)
(ii) Transverse wave: water waves (1A)
Longitudinal wave: sound waves (1A)

Physics in articles (p. 31)

(a) No physical matter is transferred in the propagation of waves. (1A)
(b) Invisible signals can be interchanged by a propagating wave. (1A)
(c) There are transverse and (1A)
longitudinal waves. (1A)
The vibrations of a transverse wave are perpendicular to the travelling direction of
the wave, while vibrations of a longitudinal wave are parallel to the travelling
direction of the wave. (1A)