GCSE Physics resources
AQA GCSE Waves
The required practical uses waves in a ripple tank and waves in a solid. Measure frequency and wavelength in each, and judge whether the apparatus provides usable readings.
Start here
The required practical uses waves in a ripple tank and waves in a solid. Measure frequency and wavelength in each, and judge whether the apparatus provides usable readings.
Before you revise
Choose an answer from memory. Your result tells you what to watch for in the guide.
Core revision guide
The required practical uses waves in a ripple tank and waves in a solid. Measure frequency and wavelength in each, and judge whether the apparatus provides usable readings.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
Use a vibrating dipper driven at a known frequency to make regular waves. Illuminate and project the pattern onto a screen with a suitable scale, allowing for projection magnification. Use a strobe cautiously to freeze the pattern or a frame from a recording. Measure across several crest spacings and divide by the number of wavelengths. Keep water depth and dipper settings steady; reduce reflected waves with suitable edges.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
Use a vibration generator and signal generator attached to a string with controlled tension. Adjust frequency to produce a clear standing-wave pattern. Adjacent nodes are half a wavelength apart: for a distance L spanning n node gaps, λ = 2L/n. Read frequency from the generator. Calculate v = fλ and repeat measurements. The string is the solid medium, not air from the loudspeaker.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
A larger measured length lowers percentage ruler uncertainty. Stabilise tension and observe scale at right angles. Use appropriate brightness and modest vibration amplitude; keep electricity away from spilled water and guard the hanging mass. A sound-speed method is also useful syllabus work, but does not replace the two stated practical media.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
For sound in air, use two microphones with measured separation and compare pulse arrival times on two recording channels. The Wave Properties guide gives the full method, repeated-delay calculation and echo distance check. This supplements the required practical’s ripple-tank and solid-wave measurements; microphone separation replaces wavelength as the measured distance in this time-of-flight method.
Misconception clinic
Read each belief, say what is wrong with it, then compare your correction.
Tempting idea: 0.10 m.
Use instead: A node gap is λ/2, not 2λ. λ = 2 × 0.20.
Tempting idea: 25/6 cm.
Use instead: Count gaps, not crest count. Five wavelengths occupy 25 cm.
Retrieval practice
Worked examples
Apply ripple tank in the worked reasoning, then try the changed-context questions below.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
λ = 2.0 ÷ 5 = 0.40 m.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
v = 3.2 m/s.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
Measure across several wavelengths and divide, reducing percentage uncertainty.
Exam precision
Do this: Specify how both frequency and wavelength are measured for each apparatus. Choose an interval large enough to measure reliably and explain the limitation it reduces.
Independent practice
Write an answer before opening the marking guidance. Then edit the exact phrase or step that would gain the next mark.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
Original PhysicsUK mark scheme: Point 1 (1 mark): Produce regular waves with a known/measured frequency. Point 2 (1 mark): Measure a scale-corrected distance across several wavelength gaps and divide by their number. Point 3 (1 mark): Calculate v = fλ with consistent units. Point 4 (1 mark): Keep water depth fixed, reduce reflections and repeat. Award each distinct point once. Accept equivalent scientifically correct wording. No half marks.
Model answer: Drive a dipper at a known frequency. Measure several correctly scaled crest gaps, divide for wavelength and multiply by frequency. Keep depth steady, reduce reflections and repeat.
Scope: 8463 and 8464 · Foundation and Higher
Original PhysicsUK mark scheme: Point 1 (1 mark): λ = 2 × node gap; v = fλ. Point 2 (1 mark): λ = 0.30 m; v = 40 × 0.30. Point 3 (1 mark): v = 12 m/s. Award each distinct point once. Accept equivalent scientifically correct wording. No half marks.
Model answer: λ = 2 × node gap; v = fλ. λ = 0.30 m; v = 40 × 0.30. v = 12 m/s.
Acceptable answers: Expected result: v = 12 m/s. Accept the unrounded value or a correctly rounded equivalent to two or more significant figures; accept equivalent units if converted correctly. No additional measurement interval is implied.
Marking notes: Method marks remain available after an arithmetic error. Carry an earlier numerical error into a later valid step; award that method point if the unit conversion and physics are correct. A fully correct answer with unit earns all marks unless working is expressly requested.
Questions pupils ask
A longer measured distance reduces the fractional effect of ruler resolution; divide by the number of complete wavelengths.
Useful next steps