A student tests four methods of measuring the speed of waves in a solid rod. The expected speed is approximately 5000 m/s. The table gives each method's detector separation and timer resolution.
| Method | Separation in m\mathrm{m}m | Timer resolution in s\mathrm{s}s |
|---|---|---|
| P | 1.0 | 1 × 10-3 |
| Q | 2.0 | 1 × 10-3 |
| R | 1.0 | 1 × 10-5 |
| S | 2.0 | 1 × 10-5 |
Assume the distance measurements are accurate. Which method gives the smallest timer resolution as a percentage of the travel time?
Method R
Method Q
Method P
Method S
112 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 4.1 Wave properties, covering 4.1.1 Waves transfer energy and information, 4.1.2 Frequency, wavelength, amplitude, period and wavefronts, 4.1.3 Longitudinal and transverse waves, 4.1.4 The wave speed equations, 4.1.5 Measuring wave velocity, and 4.1.6 Calculating depth or distance from waves. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.