A maintenance engineer uses an ultrasound probe to examine a uniform concrete support. Each pulse travels in a straight line from the probe to a reflecting surface and back to the probe.
The probe is first placed on a calibration block made from the same concrete as the support.
| Calibration quantity | Value |
|---|---|
| Distance from the probe to the opposite face | 0.60 m |
| Echo return time from the opposite face | 0.30 ms |
The probe is then placed on the support. An internal joint and the opposite face are on the same straight line beneath the probe.
| Reflecting surface | Echo return time |
|---|---|
| Internal joint | 0.45 ms |
| Opposite face | 0.95 ms |
Calculate the speed of ultrasound in the concrete.
Calculate the distance between the internal joint and the opposite face of the support.
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.