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The pitch of a musical note is affected by its frequency.

Physics - The Wave Equation (AQA)

Use the wave equation to link speed, frequency and wavelength. See how graphs, units and rearranging formulas help you solve GCSE Physics questions about different kinds of waves.

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Fascinating Fact:

On a distance time graph, the slope gives speed. On a displacement position graph, the spacing gives wavelength.

In GCSE Science (Physics), you use the wave equation v = fλ to relate wave speed, frequency and wavelength. You also interpret graphs and rearrange formulas to solve problems.

Key Terms

Wave equation: A formula linking wave speed (v), frequency (f) and wavelength (λ), usually written v = fλ.
Frequency: The number of complete wave cycles passing a point each second.
Wavelength: The distance between matching points on neighbouring waves, such as crest to crest.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is the wave equation in GCSE Physics?

In GCSE Physics, the wave equation is v = fλ, where v is wave speed, f is frequency and λ (lambda) is wavelength. It links how fast a wave travels to its frequency and wavelength.

How do I calculate wave speed from frequency and wavelength?

To calculate wave speed, multiply frequency by wavelength: v = fλ. For example, a wave with frequency 50 Hz and wavelength 2 m has a speed of 100 m/s.

What units are used in the wave equation?

In the wave equation, speed is measured in metres per second (m/s), frequency in hertz (Hz) and wavelength in metres (m). Using these units keeps calculations consistent in GCSE Physics.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Wave frequency is measured in which unit?

Hertz

Seconds

Wave-seconds

Gauss

One Hz = one wave passing per second. Gauss are the units of magnetism and wave-seconds don't exist

2 .

A keyboard player plays a note of 440 Hz. What does this mean?

It is painfully loud

It cannot be heard by human ears

440 waves reach the listener's ear each second

It has an amplitude of 440 cm

The normal range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The frequency tells you how many waves reach a given point (or go past an observer) in a second

3 .

If a wave of 440 Hz travels at 340 m/s, what is its wavelength?

0.772 m

0.772 Hz

1.29 m

14.96 km

You need to rearrange the wave equation to ë = v/f

4 .

What is the wavelength of the microwaves used by a mobile phone operator that uses microwaves with a frequency of 1.8 x 10⁹ Hz and which travel at a speed of 3.0 x 10⁸ m/s to transmit their signals?

17 cm

17 m

1.7 cm

1.7 m

Working with powers of ten can be tricky. Make sure you do a rough calculation using the powers of ten so that you know if your final answer is in the right area

5 .

Electromagnetic waves travel through space at a speed of 3.0 x 10⁸ m/s. The radio waves emitted from a distant galaxy have a wavelength of 25 metres. What is the frequency of the radio waves emitted from the galaxy?

8.33 MHz

8.33 x 10⁸ Hz

12 MHz

12 mhz

The difference between the last two answers is the units - mhz is wrong because the capitalisation is incorrect. As well as checking that you can rearrange the wave equation, it tests if you are aware of the correct way to write units

6 .

Electromagnetic waves travel at a speed of 3.0 x 10⁸ m/s through the air. A radio station transmits using waves with a wavelength of 1.9 x 10² m. At what frequency would you need to set your radio to receive this particular station's programmes?

1578 m

1578 Mhz

1578 kHz

1.578 kHz

Did you get the rearranged equation the correct way up?

7 .

A group of students carried out an experiment using a ripple tank. They measured the frequency of a wave as being 14 Hz with a total of 20 wave crests in the tank. The tank was 40 cm long. How fast was the wave travelling?

28 m/s

2.8 m/s

0.28 cm/s

0.28 m/s

When dealing with complex questions like this, you need to break them down into smaller steps. To do that, start from the equation you need to work out the speed v = fë. You have the frequency and need the wavelength. So you then look at the other information to see how you can work out the wavelength from the data. Once you have that, it is a simple matter of plugging the figures into the equation

8 .

What is the wavelength of the musical note middle C? It has a frequency 256 Hz and the speed of sound is 335 m/s.

131 cm

13.1 m

0.76 m

7.6 cm

You will see various different values for the speed of sound because it varies according to the air pressure

9 .

Waves are diffracted when they pass through a gap that is about the same width as their wavelength. What width of gap would be required to cause microwaves of frequency 1.5 x 10¹⁰ Hz to diffract?

1 m

2 cm

3 km

4 mm

This is a wavelength question, but slightly disguised! We didn't give you the speed of the waves because, by now, you should know that microwaves travel at the same speed as all electromagnetic waves - 3 x 10⁸ m/s. That is actually the speed they travel in a vacuum but it isn't much different in other media

10 .

Snakes swim by vibrating their body from side to side, just like a transverse wave. The faster they vibrate, the faster they move through the water. A 90 cm long snake in a lake travels with a velocity of 1.8 m/s. At what frequency does it vibrate its body?

1 Hz

2 Hz

3 Hz

4 Hz

A nice easy finish for you, hopefully you did this one using mental arithmetic - 1.8 (m/s) divided by 0.9 (m). Mental arithmetic can save time in the exams but is not always possible

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Properties of waves - AQA

Author: Kev Woodward (PGCE, Science & Chemistry Teacher, Quiz Writer)