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Waves, Sound, and Light

Waves, Sound, and Light — Free MYP2 Sciences Practice Questions

1QuestionDispersion of Light Through a PrismConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows white light entering a glass prism and spreading into a spectrum of colours.

Identify the colour of light that bends the most as it passes through the prism. [1]

Explain why that colour bends more than red light. [1]

Solutions

2QuestionEchoes and ReverberationConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows a loudspeaker, a listener, and a wall.

On the diagram, identify the path of the direct sound by drawing and labelling a line from the loudspeaker to the listener. [1]

On the diagram, identify the path of the echo (reflected sound) by drawing and labelling a line from the loudspeaker to the wall, then from the wall to the listener. [1]

Solutions

3QuestionHow Amplitude Affects LoudnessConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows a transverse wave. A dashed horizontal line marks the rest position. Arrow X points vertically from the rest position to the crest of the wave.

Identify the physical quantity represented by arrow X. [1]

Describe what this quantity tells you about the wave. [1]

Solutions

4QuestionApplications of Light in Everyday LifeConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows a flashlight with five labelled parts: Part A (bulb), Part B (reflector), Part C (lens), Part D (switch), and Part E (battery).

Identify the part that focuses light into a beam. [1]

Identify the part that supplies electrical energy to the flashlight. [1]

Solutions

5QuestionDefinition of a Wave and Wave TypesConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows two waves: Wave A and Wave B. Wave A has a repeating up-and-down shape. Wave B shows regions where particles are squeezed together and spread apart.

Identify which wave is transverse and which is longitudinal. [1]

Identify the labeled part of Wave A at its highest point, and the labeled part of Wave B where particles are closest together. [1]

Solutions

6QuestionApplications of Reflection and Refraction in TechnologyConcept Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion A

The diagram shows a simple periscope with a component labelled X.

Identify component X. [1]

Describe how component X allows a person to see over an obstacle. [1]

Solutions

7QuestionUses of Different EM Waves IntroductoryAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion C

A student claims that aluminium foil blocks 100% of UV (ultraviolet) radiation from a UV lamp. To test this, they place a UV light meter behind five materials and record the UV intensity in mW/cm².

Control (no material): 5.0 mW/cm²
Clear glass: 4.2 mW/cm²
Plastic wrap: 3.8 mW/cm²
Aluminium foil: 0.3 mW/cm²
Thick cardboard: 0.0 mW/cm²

Identify the UV intensity reading recorded for aluminium foil. [1]

Calculate the percentage of UV radiation blocked by aluminium foil. Show your working. [2]

Compare the performance of aluminium foil and thick cardboard, and explain whether the data support the student's claim. [2]

Solutions

8QuestionDispersion of Light Through a PrismAssessment Practice

8 marks~12 minCriterion D

A city council plans to install large glass prisms in public squares to split sunlight into rainbow colours and attract tourists. The same prisms also focus sunlight into bright hot spots on the ground, which could harm people nearby.

Identify the two conditions needed for a prism to split sunlight into a rainbow. [2]

Explain why the hot spots created by the prisms are a safety risk to people in the area. [2]

A councillor claims the prisms will produce rainbows all day, every day. Compare this claim with the real-world conditions the prisms would face, and decide whether the council should proceed with the project. [4]

Solutions

9QuestionPrimary and Secondary Colors of LightAssessment Practice

3 marks~5 minCriterion B

White light passes through four filters. The brightness of the transmitted light, measured in arbitrary units, is recorded below.

Filter	Brightness (arbitrary units)
Red	30
Green	25
Blue	20
Yellow	55

State which two primary colors of light combine to produce yellow light. [1]

Explain why the yellow filter transmits more light than the red filter alone. [1]

Compare the brightness of the yellow filter with the brightness values of the red and green filters, and explain what this tells you about how a yellow filter works. [1]

Solutions

10QuestionSpeed of Sound in Different MediaAssessment Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion D

Sound travels faster in solids than in air because particles in solids are packed tightly together, allowing vibrations to pass between them more quickly.

Describe a real-world application that shows sound travelling faster in a solid than in air. Include a specific detail to explain why the application works. [2]

Solutions

11QuestionHow Sound is Produced and TransmittedAssessment Practice

4 marks~6 minCriterion C

A student strikes a tuning fork and touches its prongs to the surface of still water.

State what causes sound to be produced when the tuning fork is struck. [1]

Explain how the vibrating prongs produce sound waves in the air. [1]

The student observes ripples spreading across the water. Compare what the ripples and the sound waves have in common, and identify one difference between them. [2]

Solutions

12QuestionVibrations in Solids Liquids and GasesAssessment Practice

6 marks~9 minCriterion B

A student investigates how far sound travels from the same source through different materials.

Material	Density ( $\text{g/cm}^3$ )	Distance (m)
Air	0.0012	10
Water	1.0	50
Wood	0.8	200
Steel	7.8	500

Rubber is a solid with a density of

1.2\ \text{g/cm}^3

Identify the general pattern between density and distance for the solids in the table. [1]

Estimate the distance sound would travel through rubber. Show your reasoning using values from the table. [2]

Water has a higher density than wood, yet sound travels further through wood. Compare how the state of a material (solid or liquid) affects how well it transmits sound, using evidence from the table. [3]

Solutions

13QuestionNoise vs Music Basic ConceptsAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion C

The oscilloscope traces below show sounds made by a flute (Trace A) and a drum (Trace B).

Trace A: a smooth, regularly repeating wave pattern.
Trace B: an irregular, jagged pattern with no repeating shape.

Identify which trace shows a musical sound and which shows noise. [1]

Explain what feature of the waveform tells you which is which. [2]

A student claims: "Any sound with an irregular waveform will damage your hearing." Compare this claim with what the traces show, and state whether you agree. [2]

Solutions

14QuestionHow Amplitude Affects LoudnessAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion D

A school crossing uses a buzzer to warn drivers. At low amplitude (small vibrations), the sound is too quiet to hear over traffic. At high amplitude (large vibrations), the sound is audible but may cause hearing damage with repeated exposure.

Identify one problem caused by setting the buzzer to low amplitude. [1]

Explain why setting the buzzer to high amplitude also creates a problem. [2]

Compare the two amplitude settings and suggest which is the greater safety concern for people at the crossing. [2]

Solutions

15QuestionHow Frequency Affects PitchAssessment Practice

6 marks~9 minCriterion B

The graph below shows how frequency (in Hz) affects perceived pitch (rated 1–10) for five sound sources.

Identify the perceived pitch of a sound with a frequency of 500 Hz. [1]

Describe the relationship between frequency and perceived pitch shown by the graph. [2]

A student claims that a sound at 1200 Hz would have a perceived pitch of 12. State whether you agree, and explain your reasoning using the relationship from the graph. [3]

Solutions

16QuestionLight and Sound in Entertainment SystemsAssessment Practice

3 marks~5 minCriterion C

The graph below shows how the power consumption of a tablet display changes as the brightness setting increases from 0% to 100%. Power consumption rises slowly at first, then more steeply, then levels off near maximum brightness.

Identify the general trend shown in the graph. [1]

Explain why increasing the brightness setting causes the display to use more power. [1]

A student says: "Doubling the brightness setting always doubles the power consumption." Using the shape of the graph, explain whether the student is correct. [1]

Solutions

17QuestionApplications of Light in Everyday LifeAssessment Practice

6 marks~9 minCriterion B

A flashlight beam is aimed at a wall. The graph shows brightness (in lux, a unit of light intensity) measured at different distances from the wall.

Brightness (lux): 200 at 10 cm, 50 at 20 cm, 22 at 30 cm, 12 at 40 cm.

Identify the brightness at 20 cm and at 40 cm from the graph. [1]

Calculate the percentage decrease in brightness from 20 cm to 40 cm. Show your working. [2]

Describe the relationship between distance and brightness shown by the data, and explain why this relationship occurs. [3]

Solutions

18QuestionApplications of Light in Everyday LifeAssessment Practice

6 marks~9 minCriterion D

A store uses infrared sensors (devices that detect heat) to open its doors automatically. The sensors respond to heat given off by people's bodies. The store manager notices the doors sometimes open when a car passes by or when direct sunlight hits the sensor.

Identify one advantage of using an infrared sensor instead of a push-button door. [1]

Explain why the sensor opens the doors even when no person is present. [2]

Compare the convenience of the infrared sensor with its reliability problems. Use examples from the scenario in your answer. [3]

Solutions

19QuestionDefinition of a Wave and Wave TypesAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion C

A cork floats on water in a ripple tank. As waves pass, the cork moves up and down with an amplitude of

2 \, \text{cm}

and a period of

0.5 \, \text{s}

, but does not move sideways.

A student claims: "Waves transfer matter from one place to another."

State what waves transfer as they travel through a medium. [1]

Describe the motion of the cork using the values given. [2]

Using the cork's behaviour, explain whether the experimental data supports or contradicts the student's claim. [2]

Solutions

20QuestionDefinition of a Wave and Wave TypesAssessment Practice

2 marks~3 minCriterion D

Sound is a longitudinal wave (particles vibrate back and forth) and light is a transverse wave (particles vibrate side to side).

Describe one real-world impact of this difference in wave type on how sound and light reach you in everyday life. [2]

Solutions

21QuestionKey Terms Wavelength Frequency Amplitude SpeedAssessment Practice

3 marks~5 minCriterion B

The graph shows two waves on the same grid.

Wave A: wavelength = 4 units, amplitude (height from rest position) = 1 unit
Wave B: wavelength = 2 units, amplitude = 2 units

Identify which wave has the greater amplitude. [1]

Explain what happens to the amplitude as the wavelength increases. [1]

Compare the relationship between wavelength and amplitude for the two waves, using the data to support your answer. [1]

Solutions

22QuestionApplications of Reflection and Refraction in TechnologyAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion C

A periscope uses two mirrors placed parallel to each other to let a person see over an obstacle. Light hits the first mirror and reflects toward the second mirror. The graph shows the relationship between the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection for the first mirror.

State the angle of reflection when the angle of incidence is 45°. [1]

Explain why the angle of incidence on the second mirror is also 45°. Use the law of reflection and the fact that the mirrors are parallel in your answer. [2]

A student claims that tilting the second mirror slightly would change the direction of the final reflected ray but would not change the angle of incidence on the second mirror. Identify whether this claim is correct and explain your reasoning. [2]

Solutions

23QuestionPlane Mirrors and Image PropertiesAssessment Practice

5 marks~8 minCriterion B

A student places an object at different distances from a plane mirror and records the image distance for each trial.

Object distance (cm)	10	20	30	40	50
Image distance (cm)	10	20	30	40	50

The student plots image distance (y-axis) against object distance (x-axis) and draws a line of best fit.

Identify the type of relationship shown by the graph. [1]

Calculate the gradient of the line of best fit. Show your working. [2]

A second student claims that moving the object 15 cm further from the mirror will increase the image distance by more than 15 cm. Using the relationship you identified, explain whether this claim is correct. [2]

Solutions

24QuestionRefraction Through Glass and WaterAssessment Practice

3 marks~5 minCriterion D

A swimming pool appears shallower than it really is because light bends — refracts — when it crosses from water into air.

Describe how refraction at the water–air boundary makes the pool appear shallower. Use the terms "angle of incidence" and "angle of refraction" in your answer. [1]

Explain how the angle at which you view the pool affects how shallow it appears. [1]

Explain one safety risk for a diver who relies only on the pool's visual appearance to judge its depth. [1]

Solutions