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Sound
Question Paper 3
Level IGCSE
Subject Physics
ExamBoard CIE
Topic Properties of Waves including Light and Sound
Sub-Topic Sound
Paper Type (Extended) Theory Paper
Booklet Question Paper 3

Time Allowed: 52 minutes

Score: /43

Percentage: /100
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1 Two students are asked to determine the speed of sound in air on the school playing fields.

(a) List the apparatus they need.

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(b) List the readings that the students need to take.

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(c) State how the speed of sound is calculated from the readings.

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(d) State one precaution that could be taken to improve the accuracy of the value obtained.

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(e) The table gives some speeds.

speed/ speed of sound speed of sound

10

100

1000

10 000

Place a tick in the table to show the speed which is closest to

(i) the speed of sound in air,

(ii) the speed of sound in water.

[Total: 6]
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2 (a) In the space below, draw a diagram to represent a sound wave.

On your diagram, mark and label

(i) two consecutive compressions and two consecutive rarefactions,

(ii) the wavelength of the wave.

(b) Fig. 7.1 shows part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

INFRA–
X-RAYS
RED

Fig. 7.1

(i) On Fig. 7.1, label the positions of γ-rays, visible light waves and radio waves. [1]

(ii) State which of the three types of wave in (i) has the lowest frequency.

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(iii) State the approximate value of the speed in air of radio waves.

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[Total: 6]
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3 Fig. 7.1 shows how the air pressure at one instant varies with distance along the path of a
continuous sound wave.

air pressure

normal P X Y
air pressure distance in direction
of travel of the wave

Fig. 7.1

(a) What type of waves are sound waves?

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

(b) On Fig. 7.1, mark on the axis PY

(i) one point C where there is a compression in the wave, [1]

(ii) one point R where there is a rarefaction in the wave. [1]

(c) Describe the motion of a group of air particles situated on the path of the wave shown in
Fig. 7.1.

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(d) The sound wave shown has speed of 340 m / s and a frequency of 200 Hz.
Calculate the distance represented by PX on Fig. 7.1.

distance = ........................[2]

[Total : 7]
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4 Fig. 6.1 shows the path of a sound wave from a source X.

X
path of sound wave

Y wall

Fig. 6.1

(a) State why a person standing at point Y hears an echo.

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

(b) The frequency of the sound wave leaving X is 400 Hz. State the frequency of the sound
wave reaching Y.

frequency = ……………….. [1]

(c) The speed of the sound wave leaving X is 330 m/s. Calculate the wavelength of these
sound waves.

wavelength = ………………………. [2]

(d) Sound waves are longitudinal waves.

State what is meant by the term longitudinal.

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

[ Total : 5]
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5 Fig. 7.1 shows the cone of a loudspeaker that is producing sound waves in air.
At any given moment, a series of compressions and rarefactions exist along the line XY.

cone

X Y
wires

air

Fig. 7.1

(a) On Fig. 7.1, use the letter C to mark three compressions and the letter R to mark three
rarefactions along XY. [1]

(b) Explain what is meant by

(i) a compression,

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(ii) a rarefaction.

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[2]

(c) A sound wave is a longitudinal wave. With reference to the sound wave travelling along
XY in Fig. 7.1, explain what is meant by a longitudinal wave.

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......................................................................................................................................[2]

(d) There is a large vertical wall 50 m in front of the loudspeaker. The wall reflects the
sound waves.
The speed of sound in air is 340 m/s.
Calculate the time taken for the sound waves to travel from X to the wall and to return
to X.

time = …………………[2]

[ Total : 7 ]
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6 Fig. 8.1 shows plane waves passing through a gap in a barrier that is approximately equal to
the wavelength of the waves.

barrier

Fig. 8.1

(a) What is the name given to the wave property shown in Fig. 8.1?

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

(b) In the space below, carefully draw the pattern that would be obtained if the gap were
increased to six times the wavelength of the waves. [4]
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(c) The effect in Fig. 8.1 is often shown using water waves on the surface of a tank of water.
These are transverse waves. Explain what is meant by a transverse wave.

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[Total : 7 ]
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7 (a) Fig. 5.1 shows the air pressure variation along a sound wave.

air pressure

above normal

normal
A B

below normal distance along

Fig. 5.1

(i) On AB in Fig. 5.1, mark one point of compression with a dot and the letter C and
the next point of rarefaction with a dot and the letter R.
(ii) In terms of the wavelength, what is the distance along the wave between a
compression and the next rarefaction?

...................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) A sound wave travels through air at a speed of 340 m/s. Calculate the frequency of a
sound wave of wavelength 1.3 m.

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

[Total : 5]