Test Diffraction 2 [57 marks]

1. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.29

In a Young’s double-slit experiment, the distance between fringes is too
small to be observed.

What change would increase the distance between fringes?

A. Increasing the frequency of light

B. Increasing the distance between slits

C. Increasing the distance from the slits to the screen

D. Increasing the distance between light source and slits [1]

2. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.16
What are the changes in speed, frequency and wavelength of light as it
travels from a material of low refractive index to a material of high
refractive index?

[1]
3. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ1.19
In science, models are extensively used to study real life situations.

A person X on the beach wants to reach a person Y in the sea in the

shortest possible time. The speed of person X on land is different from
the speed of person X in the water. Which physical phenomenon will
best model the path with the least time?

A. Conservation of momentum

B. Diffraction

C. Flow of charge in a conductor

D. Refraction [1]
4. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.13
The graph shows the variation of the displacement of a wave with
distance along the wave.

The wave speed is 0.50 m s-1.

What is the period of the wave?

A. 0.33 s

B. 1.5 s

C. 3.0 s

D. 6.0 s [1]
5. [Maximum mark: 1] 19M.1A.SL.TZ2.16
Monochromatic light travelling upwards in glass is incident on a
boundary with air. The path of the refracted light is shown.

A layer of liquid is then placed on the glass without changing the

angle of incidence on the glass. The refractive index of the glass is
greater than the refractive index of the liquid and the refractive index
of the liquid is greater than that of air.

What is the path of the refracted light when the liquid is placed on the
glass?

[1]
6. [Maximum mark: 6] 19M.2.SL.TZ1.3
A beam of microwaves is incident normally on a pair of identical narrow slits S1
and S2.

When a microwave receiver is initially placed at W which is equidistant from the

slits, a maximum in intensity is observed. The receiver is then moved towards Z
along a line parallel to the slits. Intensity maxima are observed at X and Y with
one minimum between them. W, X and Y are consecutive maxima.

(a) Explain why intensity maxima are observed at X and Y. [2]

(b) The distance from S1 to Y is 1.243 m and the distance from S2 to

Y is 1.181 m.

Determine the frequency of the microwaves. [3]

(c) Outline one reason why the maxima observed at W, X and Y will
have different intensities from each other. [1]
7. [Maximum mark: 8] 19M.2.HL.TZ1.3
A beam of microwaves is incident normally on a pair of identical narrow slits S1
and S2.

When a microwave receiver is initially placed at W which is equidistant from the

slits, a maximum in intensity is observed. The receiver is then moved towards Z
along a line parallel to the slits. Intensity maxima are observed at X and Y with
one minimum between them. W, X and Y are consecutive maxima.

(a) Explain why intensity maxima are observed at X and Y. [2]

(b) The distance from S1 to Y is 1.243 m and the distance from S2 to

Y is 1.181 m.

Determine the frequency of the microwaves. [3]

(c) Outline one reason why the maxima observed at W, X and Y will
have different intensities from each other. [1]

(d) The microwaves emitted by the transmitter are horizontally

polarized. The microwave receiver contains a polarizing filter.
When the receiver is at position W it detects a maximum
intensity.

The receiver is then rotated through 180° about the horizontal

dotted line passing through the microwave transmitter. Sketch
a graph on the axes provided to show the variation of received
intensity with rotation angle.

[2]
8. [Maximum mark: 8] 19M.2.HL.TZ1.2
A beam of electrons each of de Broglie wavelength 2.4 × 10–15 m is incident on a
thin film of silicon-30 ( 30
14
Si). The variation in the electron intensity of the beam

with scattering angle is shown.

(a.i) Use the graph to show that the nuclear radius of silicon-30 is
about 4 fm. [3]
(a.ii) Estimate, using the result from (a)(i), the nuclear radius of
thorium-232 ( 232 Th). [2]
90

(a.iii) Suggest one reason why a beam of electrons is better for

investigating the size of a nucleus than a beam of alpha
particles of the same energy. [1]

(a.iv) Outline why deviations from Rutherford scattering are

observed when high-energy alpha particles are incident on
nuclei. [2]
9. [Maximum mark: 10] 19M.2.HL.TZ2.11
In an experiment to determine the radius of a carbon-12 nucleus, a beam of
neutrons is scattered by a thin film of carbon-12. The graph shows the variation
of intensity of the scattered neutrons with scattering angle. The de Broglie
wavelength of the neutrons is 1.6 × 10-15 m.

A pure sample of copper-64 has a mass of 28 mg. The decay constant of copper-
64 is 5.5 × 10-2 hour–1.

(a) Suggest why de Broglie’s hypothesis is not consistent with

Bohr’s conclusion that the electron’s orbit in the hydrogen atom
has a well defined radius. [2]

(bi) Estimate, using the graph, the radius of a carbon-12 nucleus. [2]
(bii) The ratio volume of volume
a nucleaus of mass number A
is
of a nucleon

approximately A.

Comment on this observation by reference to the strong

nuclear force. [2]

(ci) Estimate, in Bq, the initial activity of the sample. [2]

(cii) Calculate, in hours, the time at which the activity of the sample
has decreased to one-third of the initial activity. [2]
10. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.SL.TZ0.12
The graph shows the variation with time for the displacement of a
particle in a travelling wave.

What are the frequency and amplitude for the oscillation of the
particle?

[1]
11. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.SL.TZ0.13
A transverse travelling wave is moving through a medium. The graph
shows, for one instant, the variation with distance of the displacement
of particles in the medium.

The frequency of the wave is 25 Hz and the speed of the wave is 100 m
s–1. What is correct for this wave?

A. The particles at X and Y are in phase.

B. The velocity of the particle at X is a maximum.

C. The horizontal distance between X and Z is 3.0 m.

D. The velocity of the particle at Y is 100 m s–1. [1]

12. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.SL.TZ0.14
Monochromatic light is used to produce double-slit interference
fringes on a screen. The fringe separation on the screen is y. The
distance from the slits to the screen and the separation of the slits are
both doubled, and the light source is unchanged. What is the new
fringe separation on the screen?
y
A. 4

B. y

C. 2y

D. 4y [1]

13. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.HL.TZ0.27

Light of frequency 500 THz is incident on a single slit and forms a
diffraction pattern. The first diffraction minimum forms at an angle of
2.4 x 10–3 rad to the central maximum. The frequency of the light is now
changed to 750 THz. What is the angle between the first diffraction
minimum and the central maximum?

A. 1.6 × 10–3 rad

B. 1.8 × 10–3 rad

C. 2.4 × 10–3 rad

D. 3.6 × 10–3 rad [1]

14. [Maximum mark: 1] 19N.1A.HL.TZ0.28
Light of wavelength λ is normally incident on a diffraction grating of
spacing 3λ. What is the angle between the two second-order maxima?

A. sin
−1 2

B. sin
−1 4

C. 2 sin
−1 2

D. >90° so no second orders appear [1]

15. [Maximum mark: 7] 19N.2.SL.TZ0.3
The solid line in the graph shows the variation with distance x of the
displacement y of a travelling wave at t = 0. The dotted line shows the wave 0.20
ms later. The period of the wave is longer than 0.20 ms.

One end of a string is attached to an oscillator and the other is fixed to a wall.
When the frequency of the oscillator is 360 Hz the standing wave shown is
formed on the string.

Point X (not shown) is a point on the string at a distance of 10 cm from the

oscillator.

(a(i)) Calculate, in m s–1, the speed for this wave. [1]

(a(ii)) Calculate, in Hz, the frequency for this wave. [2]

(b) The graph also shows the displacement of two particles, P and
Q, in the medium at t = 0. State and explain which particle has
the larger magnitude of acceleration at t = 0. [2]

(c(i)) State the number of all other points on the string that have the
same amplitude and phase as X. [1]

(c(ii)) The frequency of the oscillator is reduced to 120 Hz. On the

diagram, draw the standing wave that will be formed on the
string.
 [1]

16. [Maximum mark: 1] 20N.1A.SL.TZ0.12

Wavefronts travel from air to medium Q as shown.

What is the refractive index of Q?

sin 30°
A. sin 45°

B. sin 45°

sin 30°

sin 45°
C. sin 60°

D.
sin 60°

sin 45°
[1]
17. [Maximum mark: 1] 20N.1A.SL.TZ0.16
What changes occur to the frequency and wavelength of
monochromatic light when it travels from glass to air?

[1]

18. [Maximum mark: 1] 20N.1A.HL.TZ0.29

White light is incident normally on separate diffraction gratings X and
Y. Y has a greater number of lines per metre than X. Three statements
about differences between X and Y are

I. adjacent slits in the gratings are further apart for X than for Y
II. the angle between red and blue light in a spectral order is greater in
X than in Y
III. the total number of visible orders is greater for X than for Y.

Which statements are correct?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III [1]

19. [Maximum mark: 1] 20N.1A.HL.TZ0.15
A travelling wave has a frequency of 500 Hz. The closest distance
between two points on the wave that have a phase difference of
π
60°( rad) is 0. 050 m. What is the speed of the wave?
3

A. 25 m s
−1

B. 75 m s
−1

C. 150 m s
−1

D. 300 m s
−1
[1]

20. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ1.13

Monochromatic light of wavelength λ is incident on a double slit. The
resulting interference pattern is observed on a screen a distance y from
the slits. The distance between consecutive fringes in the pattern is 55
mm when the slit separation is a.

λ, y and a are all doubled. What is the new distance between

consecutive fringes?

A. 55 mm

B. 110 mm

C. 220 mm

D. 440 mm [1]
21. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ1.14
A sound wave has a frequency of 1.0 kHz and a wavelength of 0.33 m.
What is the distance travelled by the wave in 2.0 ms and the nature of
the wave?

[1]

22. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ1.16

Three quantities used to describe a light wave are

I. frequency
II. wavelength
III. speed.

Which quantities increase when the light wave passes from water to
air?

A. I and II only

B. I and III only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III [1]

23. [Maximum mark: 1] 21M.1A.SL.TZ2.15
Two wave generators, placed at position P and position Q, produce
water waves with a wavelength of 4. 0 cm. Each generator, operating
alone, will produce a wave oscillating with an amplitude of 3. 0 cm at
position R. PR is 42 cm and RQ is 60 cm.

Both wave generators now operate together in phase. What is the

amplitude of the resulting wave at R?

A. 9 cm

B. 6 cm

C. 3 cm

D. zero [1]

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