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9702 · 7.2

Transverse and longitudinal waves — practice questions

Practice and worked examples for 9702 Transverse and longitudinal waves. Short previews only — attempt the full question in MarkScheme against the official scheme.

Worked example 1

A wave on a string has frequency 50 Hz50\,\text{Hz} and wavelength 0.40 m0.40\,\text{m}. Calculate wave speed and state whether the wave is transverse on a shaken string.

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v=fλ=50×0.40=20 m s−1v = f\lambda = 50 \times 0.40 = 20\,\text{m s}^{-1}.

On a shaken string, particle motion is perpendicular to propagation — a transverse wave.

Worked example 2

Compare transverse and longitudinal waves: state one example of each and whether it can be polarised.

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Transverse: light — oscillations perpendicular to travel; can be polarised.

Longitudinal: sound in air — oscillations parallel to travel; cannot be polarised.

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