se/physics/edexcel/questions","basePath":"/gcse/physics/edexcel/wave-properties-and-behaviour/questions","formulaUrl":null,"initialIndex":26,"initialQuestionWindow":[{"id":"2b18fb37-e533-424a-9272-338b712b1366","revisionId":"64ffe4ef-467d-48c9-a29c-e11a3d2ff436","questionNumber":null,"questionType":"LA","specification":"A researcher on an offshore platform is monitoring ocean swells as they pass a vertical tide gauge attached to a support pillar, as shown in the diagram below.\n\n![Ocean swells passing a platform](https://assets.mathsgenie.co.uk/aqa-qb/e439e294-9024-414f-991b-a3bb719b527d.png)","difficulty":5,"difficultyBand":"medium","totalMarks":6,"sourceTitle":null,"calculatorUse":null,"parts":[{"id":"5150ff58-7866-4a6a-ab00-e24bbc3139a2","label":null,"content":"Describe how the researcher can determine the frequency of these ocean swells.","markscheme":"- Use the stopwatch to measure a fixed time interval, $t$, of at least 60 seconds M1\n- Count the total number of wave crests, $N$, that pass the tide gauge during this time interval A1\n- Calculate the frequency, $f$, using the formula $f = \\frac{N}{t}$ A1\n\n*Alternative Method:*\n- Use the stopwatch to measure the time, $t$, taken for a fixed number of wave crests (e.g., $N = 10$) to pass the tide gauge M1\n- Record the time $t$ in seconds A1\n- Calculate the frequency, $f$, using the formula $f = \\frac{N}{t}$ A1","marks":6,"order":0,"markingRubric":null,"explanation":{"methods":[{"id":"fixed_time_interval","label":"Fixed time interval","steps":[{"type":"text","order":0,"title":"Measure a fixed interval","content":"Use the stopwatch to measure a fixed time interval of at least 60 seconds. Record the time as $t$, in seconds. This earns M1.","highlights":[{"text":"Describe how the researcher can determine the frequency of these ocean swells.","location":"specification"}]},{"type":"text","order":2,"title":"Count the crests","content":"During the recorded interval, count every wave crest that passes the tide gauge. Call this total $N$. This earns A1 for counting the crests.","highlights":[{"text":"Describe how the researcher can determine the frequency of these ocean swells.","location":"specification"}]},{"type":"hyper_latex","block":{"nodes":[{"latex":"f = \\frac{\\htmlData{anchor=crest_count}{N}}{\\htmlData{anchor=time_seconds}{t}}"},{"text":"This gives the number of wave crests passing the gauge each second."}],"highlights":[{"color":"sky","style":"underline","anchor":"crest_count"},{"color":"amber","style":"underline","anchor":"time_seconds"}]},"order":3,"title":"Calculate the frequency","description":"Use the counted number N of crests and the measured time t in seconds. The answer is in hertz (Hz). This earns A1."}]}],"generatedAt":"2026-07-22T11:20:36.824Z","modelVersion":"gpt-5.6-terra+diagrams-1","explanationVersion":"v3"},"options":[]}],"options":[],"explanation":null,"firstAttemptFullMarks":null},{"id":"2b8b1400-ef95-47c3-895a-42cd00a6e201","revisionId":"6a398cea-b806-4c17-a500-d80f59792fc2","questionNumber":null,"questionType":"LA","specification":"Figure 1 shows the paths of a sound wave and a light wave as they travel from water into air.\n\n![Figure 1: Refraction of sound and light waves at a water-air boundary.](https://assets.mathsgenie.co.uk/aqa-qb/da4c48c1-436d-493e-bf4b-b2e90325c807.png)","difficulty":7,"difficultyBand":"medium","totalMarks":3,"sourceTitle":null,"calculatorUse":null,"parts":[{"id":"f6745cef-b859-42e2-a0b9-4d97f9e62c9b","label":null,"content":"Explain why the sound wave and the light wave refract in opposite directions when they transition from water into air.","markscheme":"- Explains that the speed of the sound wave decreases when transitioning from water to air, causing it to refract towards the normal. B1\n- Explains that the speed of the light wave increases when transitioning from water to air, causing it to refract away from the normal. B1\n- Links refraction direction to speed change, stating that opposit

Wave properties and behaviour

Question 8

Wave properties and behaviour Questions

Wave properties and behaviour

Question 8

Wave properties and behaviour Questions