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C.3 Wave phenomena

Practice exam-style IB Physics questions for Wave phenomena, aligned with the syllabus and grouped by topic.

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Question 1
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
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SL • Paper 1A
Easy
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A point source produces circular water waves on the surface of a ripple tank. The wavefronts are shown by circular crest lines.

The correct ray diagram for the waves is

A.
A point source at the centre with several concentric circular wavefronts. Draw short arrows tangent to the circular wavefronts at several positions, following the circles rather than crossing them.
B.
A point source at the centre with several concentric circular wavefronts. Draw straight rays starting at the source and pointing radially outwards, crossing every circular wavefront at right angles.
C.
A point source at the centre with several concentric circular wavefronts. Draw radial arrows from the outside towards the centre, crossing the wavefronts at right angles but directed inwards.
D.
A point source at the centre with several concentric circular wavefronts. Draw several straight rays all parallel to one another across the circles, not radial.
Question 2
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
Calculator Permitted
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
Calculator Permitted

Plane water waves are normally incident on a barrier containing a gap with width comparable to the wavelength.

The best representation of the transmitted wavefronts is

A.
A horizontal barrier with a central gap. Plane wavefronts approach the gap normally from the left. On the right side, draw semicircular wavefronts spreading from the gap, with spacing smaller than that of the incident wavefronts.
B.
A horizontal barrier with a central gap. Plane wavefronts approach the gap normally from the left. On the right side, draw straight transmitted wavefronts with noticeably larger spacing than the incident wavefronts and little spreading.
C.
A horizontal barrier with a central gap. Plane wavefronts approach the gap normally from the left. On the right side, draw straight transmitted wavefronts with noticeably smaller spacing than the incident wavefronts and little spreading.
D.
A horizontal barrier with a central gap. Plane wavefronts approach the gap normally from the left. On the right side, draw semicircular wavefronts spreading out from the gap, with the same spacing as the incident wavefronts.
Question 3
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
Calculator Permitted
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
Calculator Permitted

Two pulses on a rope overlap at one instant. One pulse would produce a displacement of +3.0 cm+3.0\ \text{cm} at point PP and the other would produce a displacement of −2.0 cm-2.0\ \text{cm} at the same point.

The displacement of the rope at PP at that instant is

A.

−1.0 cm-1.0\ \text{cm}

B.

−5.0 cm-5.0\ \text{cm}

C.

+1.0 cm+1.0\ \text{cm}

D.

+5.0 cm+5.0\ \text{cm}

Question 4
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
Calculator Permitted
SL • Paper 1A
Easy
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Two coherent sources emit waves in phase. At a point PP, the path difference from the two sources is 2.5λ2.5\lambda.

The interference at PP is

A.

destructive because the path difference is a half-integer multiple of λ\lambda

B.

destructive because the path difference is greater than λ\lambda

C.

constructive because the waves have the same frequency

D.

constructive because the path difference is an integer multiple of λ\lambda

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Question 5
HL • Paper 1A
Easy
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HL • Paper 1A
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Monochromatic light is normally incident on a single rectangular slit. The slit width is decreased.

The graph that best shows the new intensity pattern on a distant screen is

A.
A graph of intensity against angular position. Show a dashed original single-slit pattern. Superimpose a solid new pattern with the same positions of minima and maxima as the dashed pattern but lower intensity everywhere.
B.
A graph of intensity against angular position. Show a dashed original single-slit pattern. Superimpose a solid new pattern with a taller and broader central maximum, with first minima farther from the centre than the dashed pattern.
C.
A graph of intensity against angular position. Show a dashed original single-slit pattern with a central maximum and weak side maxima. Superimpose a solid new pattern centred at the same angle, with a lower and broader central maximum and first minima farther from the centre than the dashed pattern.
D.
A graph of intensity against angular position. Show a dashed original single-slit pattern with a central maximum and weak side maxima. Superimpose a solid new pattern with a taller, narrower central maximum and closer first minima than the dashed pattern.
Question 6
HL • Paper 1A
Easy
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HL • Paper 1A
Easy
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The number of equally spaced, coherently illuminated slits in a multiple-slit arrangement is increased from 22 to 66. The slit separation and wavelength are unchanged.

The principal maxima become

A.

sharper, with larger angular separation and 99 times the intensity

B.

broader, with unchanged angular positions and 33 times the intensity

C.

broader, with smaller angular separation and 3636 times the intensity

D.

sharper, with unchanged angular positions and 99 times the intensity

Question 7
HL • Paper 1A
Easy
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HL • Paper 1A
Easy
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White light is normally incident on a diffraction grating. A screen is placed beyond the grating.

The correct description of the observed pattern is

A.

a red central maximum, with blue light farther from the centre than red light in each first-order spectrum

B.

a white central maximum, with blue and red light at the same angle in each first-order spectrum

C.

no central maximum, with identical spectra on one side of the grating only

D.

a white central maximum, with red light farther from the centre than blue light in each first-order spectrum

Question 8
SL • Paper 2
Easy
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SL • Paper 2
Easy
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A point source produces circular water waves on the surface of a ripple tank. Several wavefronts are shown at one instant.

A ripple-tank diagram showing a labelled point source near the centre with several concentric circular wavefronts spreading outwards. Include one unlabelled point on a wavefront where a ray could be drawn. Do not include a ray or any wavelength values.
A

State what is meant by a wavefront.

[1]
B

Explain how a ray should be drawn at the marked point and what the ray represents.

[2]

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Question 9
SL • Paper 2
Easy
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SL • Paper 2
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Plane water waves are incident normally on a barrier with a single gap. The gap width can be adjusted.

A ripple-tank plan view showing plane wavefronts approaching a straight barrier normally. The barrier has one adjustable gap. Show the incoming wavefronts only; do not show the wavefronts after the gap.
A

State the condition for the diffraction of the waves to be greatest.

[1]
B

Explain why diffraction through the gap does not change the wavelength of the waves.

[2]
Question 10
SL • Paper 2
Easy
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SL • Paper 2
Easy
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Two pulses travel towards each other along a rope. At one instant an upward pulse of amplitude 3.0 cm3.0\ \text{cm} overlaps a downward pulse of amplitude 1.0 cm1.0\ \text{cm} at the same point.

A rope diagram with two travelling pulses approaching each other: one upward pulse and one smaller downward pulse. Use arrows to indicate that the pulses are moving towards each other. Do not show the resultant pulse.
A

State the resultant displacement of the rope at the point where the pulses overlap.

[1]
B

Describe what happens to the two pulses after they have passed through each other.

[1]
Question 11
SL • Paper 1A
Medium
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SL • Paper 1A
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Light travels from glass of refractive index 1.501.50 into air of refractive index 1.001.00. The angle of incidence in the glass is 35∘35^\circ.

The angle of refraction in air is

A.

59∘59^\circ

B.

23∘23^\circ

C.

total internal reflection occurs

D.

35∘35^\circ

Question 12
SL • Paper 1A
Medium
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SL • Paper 1A
Medium
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Monochromatic light of wavelength 600 nm600\ \text{nm} is incident normally on a double slit. The slit separation is 0.30 mm0.30\ \text{mm} and the screen is 2.0 m2.0\ \text{m} from the slits.

The separation of adjacent bright fringes is

A.

4.0 mm4.0\ \text{mm}

B.

9.0 mm9.0\ \text{mm}

C.

0.40 mm0.40\ \text{mm}

D.

40 mm40\ \text{mm}

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Question 13
HL • Paper 1A
Medium
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HL • Paper 1A
Medium
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Monochromatic light of wavelength 500 nm500\ \text{nm} is normally incident on a single slit of width 0.20 mm0.20\ \text{mm}. A screen is placed 2.0 m2.0\ \text{m} from the slit.

Using the small-angle approximation, the width of the central maximum on the screen is

A.

2.5 mm2.5\ \text{mm}

B.

5.0 mm5.0\ \text{mm}

C.

20 mm20\ \text{mm}

D.

10 mm10\ \text{mm}

Question 14
HL • Paper 1A
Medium
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HL • Paper 1A
Medium
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A diffraction grating has 500500 lines per millimetre. Monochromatic light of wavelength 600 nm600\ \text{nm} is normally incident on the grating.

The greatest observable order is

A.

44

B.

11

C.

33

D.

22

Question 15
SL • Paper 2
Medium
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SL • Paper 2
Medium
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Plane water waves travel from deep water into shallow water. The frequency of the waves is 8.0 Hz8.0\ \text{Hz}. The speed is 0.32 m s−10.32\ \text{m s}^{-1} in deep water and 0.20 m s−10.20\ \text{m s}^{-1} in shallow water.

A wavefront-ray diagram with a straight boundary separating a deep-water region from a shallow-water region. Plane wavefronts approach the boundary obliquely from the deep-water side. Show an incident ray and a normal at the point of incidence that is perpendicular to the boundary, and do not show the transmitted ray or any extra diagonal dashed line.
A

Calculate the wavelength of the waves in the shallow water.

[2]
B

Explain the change in direction of the waves as they enter the shallow water.

[2]
Question 16
HL • Paper 2
Medium
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HL • Paper 2
Medium
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Monochromatic light of wavelength 640 nm640\ \text{nm} is incident normally on a single rectangular slit of width 0.20 mm0.20\ \text{mm}.

A single-slit diffraction arrangement showing normally incident monochromatic light, one rectangular slit, and a distant screen. Label the central axis and the angular position of the first minimum as theta. Do not show any calculated angle.
A

Calculate the angular position of the first diffraction minimum.

[2]
B

State one change to the diffraction pattern if the slit width is decreased.

[1]

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Question 17
HL • Paper 2
Medium
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HL • Paper 2
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Monochromatic light is incident normally on a single narrow rectangular slit. The axes show intensity II against angular displacement θ\theta from the central axis.

Blank graph axes for an intensity pattern: vertical axis labelled intensity I and horizontal axis labelled angular displacement theta. Mark the central axis at theta equals zero but do not draw any intensity curve.
A

Sketch the single-slit diffraction intensity pattern.

[3]
Question 18
HL • Paper 2
Medium
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HL • Paper 2
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Two diffraction patterns are produced using the same monochromatic light and the same slit spacing. Pattern A is produced by 55 equally illuminated slits. Pattern B is produced by 2020 equally illuminated slits.

Two qualitative intensity-against-angle graphs labelled Pattern A and Pattern B. Both have principal maxima at the same angular positions. Pattern B should be drawn with noticeably narrower and taller principal maxima than Pattern A, without numerical intensity scales.
A

Compare the angular positions and widths of the principal maxima in the two patterns.

[2]
B

Determine the factor by which the intensity of a principal maximum in Pattern B is greater than in Pattern A.

[1]
Question 19
SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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Plane water waves travel from a deep region into a shallow region of a ripple tank. The diagram shows wavefronts and one ray at the boundary.

Annotated ripple-tank wavefront-ray diagram. Straight parallel incident wavefronts approach an oblique straight boundary from a region labelled deep water into a region labelled shallow water. The transmitted wavefronts in shallow water are closer together and rotated relative to the incident wavefronts. A normal is drawn at the point where a ray meets the boundary. The incident ray and transmitted ray are perpendicular to their local wavefronts, with angles measured from the normal. The diagram includes a scale or labelled spacing showing the wavelength in each region but does not state the speed ratio.
A

Use the wavefront spacing to determine the ratio vshallow/vdeepv_\text{shallow}/v_\text{deep}.

[1]
B

State what happens to the frequency and wavelength as the wave enters the shallow region.

[2]
C

Explain the change in direction of the ray at the boundary.

[1]
Question 20
SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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Plane water waves are incident normally on three apertures of different widths. The same wave source is used in each case.

Three side-by-side ripple-tank diagrams labelled aperture A, aperture B and aperture C. Each shows straight incident wavefronts meeting a barrier with a central gap. The aperture widths are visibly different. Beyond each gap the emerging wavefronts have different curvatures, from slight spreading to strong semicircular spreading. The incident wavelength is the same in all three diagrams.
A

Identify the aperture that produces the greatest diffraction.

[1]
B

Explain why this aperture produces the greatest diffraction.

[2]
C

State one wave quantity that remains unchanged after the waves pass through an aperture.

[1]

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Question 21
HL • Paper 1A
Medium
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HL • Paper 1A
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A double slit has slit separation dd and individual slit width bb, where d=4bd=4b. Monochromatic light is normally incident on the slits.

The first missing double-slit bright fringe on either side of the central maximum is the

A.

second order

B.

first order

C.

fourth order

D.

third order

Question 22
SL • Paper 2
Medium
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SL • Paper 2
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A ray of light in glass of refractive index 1.501.50 is incident on a glass-air boundary at an angle of incidence of 46.0∘46.0^\circ. The refractive index of air is 1.001.00.

A ray diagram showing a glass-air boundary with glass on one side and air on the other. Include an incident ray in the glass meeting the boundary, and a normal at the point of incidence. Label the angle of incidence as measured from the normal. Do not draw a refracted or reflected ray.
A

Calculate the critical angle for the glass-air boundary.

[2]
B

Determine whether total internal reflection occurs.

[1]
Question 23
SL • Paper 2
Medium
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SL • Paper 2
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A laser is directed normally at a double slit. The slit separation is 0.250 mm0.250\ \text{mm} and the screen is 2.40 m2.40\ \text{m} from the slits. The distance across 1010 adjacent fringe spacings on the screen is 60.0 mm60.0\ \text{mm}.

A Young double-slit arrangement showing a laser, a double slit, and a distant screen with equally spaced bright fringes. Indicate the slit separation, screen distance, and a measured distance across several adjacent fringe spacings, without drawing numerical scale ticks.
A

Calculate the wavelength of the laser light.

[3]
B

Suggest why measuring across several fringe spacings gives a better value for the fringe spacing than measuring one spacing.

[1]
Question 24
HL • Paper 2
Medium
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HL • Paper 2
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A laser is incident normally on a pair of identical slits of finite width. The observed pattern on a distant screen is a set of interference fringes whose brightness decreases away from the centre.

An intensity-against-position graph for a real double-slit pattern. Show many regularly spaced narrow interference fringes lying inside a broad single-slit diffraction envelope. Do not label any missing order or numerical position.
A

Explain why the brightness of the interference fringes decreases away from the centre.

[2]
B

State why a bright interference fringe predicted by the double-slit condition may be missing.

[1]

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Question 25
HL • Paper 2
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HL • Paper 2
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Monochromatic light of wavelength 532 nm532\ \text{nm} is incident normally on a diffraction grating with 600600 lines per millimetre.

A diffraction grating setup with normally incident monochromatic light and a screen or angular scale showing a central maximum and symmetric higher-order maxima. Do not include numerical angular values.
A

Calculate the angle of the first-order maximum from the central maximum.

[2]
B

Determine the highest order maximum that can be observed.

[2]
Question 26
SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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SL • Paper 1B
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A student measures the angles of incidence ii in air and refraction rr in a transparent block. The graph shows sin⁡i\sin i plotted against sin⁡r\sin r.

Scatter plot of sin i against sin r for light entering a transparent block.
A

Determine the gradient of the best-fit line.

[2]
B

State the refractive index of the block.

[1]
C

Calculate the critical angle for light travelling from the block into air.

[2]
Question 27
SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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Two pulses travel towards each other along a string. The graph shows the displacement that each pulse would produce separately at the same instant.

Position on string / cm

Pulse 1 displacement / mm

Pulse 2 displacement / mm

0

0.0

0.0

2

0.0

0.0

3

1.0

0.0

4 (X)

2.0

-1.0

5

2.0

-1.5

6 (Y)

2.0

-2.0

7

1.0

-1.5

8

0.0

-1.0

10

0.0

0.0

A

Determine the resultant displacement of the string at point X.

[1]
B

Identify the type of interference occurring at point Y.

[1]
C

Explain what happens to the two pulses after they have overlapped.

[2]
Question 28
SL • Paper 1B
Medium
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SL • Paper 1B
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Two coherent loudspeakers emit sound of wavelength 0.34 m0.34\ \text{m}. A microphone is moved to different positions in front of the speakers. The table gives the distances from each speaker to the microphone.

Position

Distance from speaker A / m

Distance from speaker B / m

P

3.06

2.38

Q

2.21

2.04

R

1.70

1.70

S

2.72

2.38

A

For position P, determine whether the interference is constructive or destructive.

[2]
B

For position Q, the path difference is 0.17 m0.17\ \text{m}. State the expected sound level at Q.

[1]
C

Explain why the two loudspeakers are connected to the same signal generator.

[2]

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Question 29
HL • Paper 1B
Medium
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HL • Paper 1B
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Coherent monochromatic light is incident normally on arrays with different numbers NN of equally spaced slits. The slit spacing is the same for all arrays. The graph compares the intensity patterns.

Overlaid intensity patterns for 4- and 8-slit arrays.
A

State what happens to the angular positions of the principal maxima as NN increases.

[1]
B

Determine the ratio of the intensity of a principal maximum for N=8N=8 to that for N=4N=4, assuming equal illumination of the slits.

[1]
C

Explain why increasing NN improves the separation of two nearby wavelengths.

[2]
Question 30
HL • Paper 1B
Medium
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HL • Paper 1B
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White light is incident normally on a diffraction grating with 500500 lines per millimetre. The diagram shows the central maximum and the first-order spectra on both sides.

Annotated diffraction grating spectrum. A central white maximum is shown on the normal axis. First-order spectra appear symmetrically on both sides, with blue/violet nearer to the centre and red farther from the centre. The angles from the central axis to selected blue and red first-order lines are labelled for measurement. The grating line density is stated in the stem and the wavelength values are not shown.
A

Explain why the central maximum is white.

[1]
B

Use the angle of the red first-order line to determine the wavelength of red light.

[2]
C

Explain why the red line is farther from the centre than the blue line in the same order.

[1]
Question 31
HL • Paper 2
Medium
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HL • Paper 2
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White light is incident normally on a diffraction grating with slit spacing 2.00×10−6 m2.00\times10^{-6}\ \text{m}. Consider blue light of wavelength 450 nm450\ \text{nm} and red light of wavelength 650 nm650\ \text{nm} in the first-order spectrum.

A diffraction grating diagram for white light at normal incidence showing a central white maximum and first-order spectra on both sides. Indicate that blue and red appear at different angles in each first-order spectrum, without giving angle values.
A

Explain why the central maximum is white.

[1]
B

Calculate the angular separation between the first-order red and blue maxima.

[3]
Question 32
SL • Paper 1B
Hard
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SL • Paper 1B
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A ray of light travels inside a semicircular glass block and meets the flat glass-air boundary at different angles of incidence. The table shows observations at the boundary.

Angle of incidence / ∘^\circ

Observation at boundary

38

Refracted into air

40

Refracted into air

41

Refracted into air

42

Refracted along boundary

43

Total internal reflection

45

Total internal reflection

A

Estimate the critical angle for the glass-air boundary.

[1]
B

Use your value of the critical angle to determine the refractive index of the glass.

[2]
C

Suggest why the incident ray is directed through the centre of the semicircular block.

[1]

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Question 33
HL • Paper 1B
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HL • Paper 1B
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Monochromatic laser light of wavelength 640 nm640\ \text{nm} is incident normally on a single rectangular slit. The screen is 2.00 m2.00\ \text{m} from the slit. The graph shows the intensity pattern on the screen.

Single-slit intensity pattern on a screen.
A

Determine the angular position of the first minimum from the central axis.

[1]
B

Calculate the slit width.

[2]
C

Suggest two changes to the pattern if the slit width is decreased, with the laser unchanged.

[2]
Question 34
HL • Paper 1B
Hard
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HL • Paper 1B
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A double slit with finite slit width is illuminated by monochromatic light at normal incidence. The graph shows the observed intensity pattern on a distant screen.

Relative intensity pattern of a double-slit interference pattern modulated by a broader diffraction envelope.
A

Describe the modulation shown in the graph.

[1]
B

Use the positions of the fringes and the first envelope minimum to determine d/bd/b, where dd is the slit separation and bb is the slit width.

[2]
C

Explain why this missing fringe occurs.

[2]
Question 35
HL • Paper 1B
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HL • Paper 1B
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A diffraction grating has 600600 lines per millimetre. Monochromatic light is incident normally on the grating. The table gives the measured angles of the bright maxima.

Order, mm

Angle, θ / ∘^\circ

0

0.0

1

18.5

2

39.5

3

72.4

A

Determine the grating spacing dd.

[1]
B

Use the data to determine the wavelength of the light.

[2]
C

Determine the largest order that can be observed.

[2]
Question 36
SL • Paper 2
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SL • Paper 2
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Plane water waves in a ripple tank travel from deep water into a shallow region at an angle to the boundary. The incident wavefronts are shown before reaching the boundary.

A ripple-tank wavefront-ray diagram showing a straight horizontal boundary between a deep-water region and a shallow-water region. Several equally spaced straight incident wavefronts approach the boundary obliquely from the deep-water side. One incident ray is shown perpendicular to the incident wavefronts and meeting the boundary. The shallow-water side is blank for the student to complete in one part. The normal at the point of incidence is not drawn.
A

Consider the wavefronts and ray at the boundary.

I.

State the geometrical relationship between a ray and a wavefront.

[1]
II.

On the diagram, sketch the normal and the transmitted wavefronts in the shallow water. The waves travel more slowly in shallow water.

[2]
B

Explain why the frequency of the water waves is unchanged at the boundary, but the wavelength changes.

[2]
C

Discuss one limitation of using this ripple-tank observation as a model for refraction of light.

[2]

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Question 37
SL • Paper 2
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SL • Paper 2
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A radio transmitter is on one side of a hill. Two receivers are placed at the same distance from the transmitter on the other side of the hill. Receiver A uses a signal of wavelength 850 m850\ \text{m} and receiver B uses a signal of wavelength 0.30 m0.30\ \text{m}.

A side-view diagram showing a transmitter on the left of a rounded hill and two receivers in the shadow region on the right. Two possible wave cases are indicated by labels only: long-wavelength radio waves and short-wavelength waves. No diffracted wavefronts are drawn in the region behind the hill.
A

Use the diagram to discuss diffraction around the hill.

I.

State what is meant by diffraction.

[1]
II.

Explain which receiver is more likely to detect a signal behind the hill.

[3]
B

A student suggests that the long-wavelength signal is stronger because its frequency increases when it diffracts around the hill. Evaluate this suggestion.

[3]
Question 38
SL • Paper 2
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SL • Paper 2
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Two pulses travel towards each other along the same rope. Pulse P has upward displacement and pulse Q has downward displacement. The rope is assumed to obey the principle of superposition.

A displacement-position graph for a rope at an instant before overlap. The horizontal axis is position along the rope and the vertical axis is displacement from equilibrium. Pulse P is a rectangular or triangular upward pulse travelling right; pulse Q is a similar but smaller downward pulse travelling left. The amplitudes are labelled $4.0\ \text{cm}$ upward for P and $2.5\ \text{cm}$ downward for Q. Their widths and directions are indicated; they are separated but moving towards overlap.
A

The pulses later overlap completely.

I.

State the principle of superposition for waves on a rope.

[2]
II.

Determine the resultant displacement of the rope at the centre of complete overlap.

[2]
B

Explain what happens to the two pulses after they have completely passed through each other.

[2]
C

Discuss whether the energy carried by the pulses is zero at the instant when a point on the rope has zero resultant displacement.

[2]
Question 39
HL • Paper 1B
Hard
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HL • Paper 1B
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A student investigates single-slit diffraction using the same laser and different slit widths. The table gives the measured angular width of the central maximum, from the first minimum on one side to the first minimum on the other side.

Slit width, bb / mm

Central angular width / mrad

0.40

3.2

0.60

2.1

0.80

1.6

1.00

1.3

1.20

1.1

A

Use one suitable row of the table to determine the wavelength of the laser.

[2]
B

Evaluate whether the data support the relationship central angular width∝1/b\text{central angular width}\propto1/b.

[2]
C

Predict the change to the central angular width if a laser of twice the wavelength is used with the same slit.

[1]
Question 40
SL • Paper 2
Hard
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SL • Paper 2
Hard
Calculator Permitted

A student investigates light travelling from air into a transparent plastic block. The refractive index of air is 1.001.00. The speed of light in air may be taken as 3.00×108 m s−13.00\times 10^8\ \text{m s}^{-1}. For the first interface, the angle of refraction in the plastic is 31.0∘31.0^\circ.

A ray diagram of a rectangular transparent block with air above it. A single incident ray in air meets the upper surface of the block at an oblique angle. A normal is drawn at the point of incidence. The incident angle is labelled relative to the normal. The refracted ray inside the block is not shown. A second panel shows a ray inside the same plastic block incident on the plastic-air boundary, with its angle to the normal labelled for a later total internal reflection discussion.
A

For the incident ray in air, the angle of incidence is 52.0∘52.0^\circ and the angle of refraction in the plastic is 31.0∘31.0^\circ.

I.

Determine the refractive index of the plastic.

[2]
II.

Calculate the speed of light in the plastic.

[2]
B

The ray is now inside the plastic and reaches a plastic-air boundary.

I.

Determine the critical angle for the plastic-air boundary.

[2]
C

Evaluate whether a ray incident inside the plastic at 43.0∘43.0^\circ to the normal would be suitable for guiding light along a plastic optical fibre.

[2]

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Question 41
SL • Paper 2
Hard
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SL • Paper 2
Hard
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Two coherent loudspeakers, S1 and S2, are connected to the same signal generator. A microphone is placed at point P. The speed of sound in air is 340 m s−1340\ \text{m s}^{-1}. The loudspeakers emit sound of frequency 500 Hz500\ \text{Hz}.

A plan-view diagram with two loudspeakers labelled S1 and S2 separated vertically on the left. A point P is on the right. Straight lines connect S1 to P and S2 to P, labelled with the path lengths from each speaker. The speakers are stated to be in phase. The path from S1 to P is longer than the path from S2 to P.
A

At point P, the distance from S1 is 4.80 m4.80\ \text{m} and the distance from S2 is 4.12 m4.12\ \text{m}. The loudspeakers emit sound of frequency 500 Hz500\ \text{Hz}.

I.

Determine the wavelength of the sound.

[1]
II.

Determine whether the interference at P is constructive or destructive.

[3]
B

The microphone is moved to point Q, where the path difference is 0.340 m0.340\ \text{m}. Explain why the sound level is small but not necessarily zero.

[3]
Question 42
SL • Paper 2
Hard
Calculator Permitted
SL • Paper 2
Hard
Calculator Permitted

A student uses a laser and a double slit to determine the wavelength of light. The slit separation is 0.250 mm0.250\ \text{mm} and the screen is 2.40 m2.40\ \text{m} from the slits. The distance across ten adjacent fringe spacings is measured as 48.0 mm48.0\ \text{mm}.

A Young double-slit arrangement at normal incidence. A laser illuminates two narrow slits separated by a labelled distance $d$. A screen is a distance $D$ from the slits. On the screen there is a central bright fringe and several equally spaced bright fringes on both sides. A bracket spans ten adjacent fringe spacings and is labelled as the measured distance.
A

Use the measurement of ten fringe spacings.

I.

Determine the separation of neighbouring bright fringes.

[1]
II.

Determine the wavelength of the laser light.

[3]
B

Evaluate two features of the procedure that improve the reliability or safety of the experiment.

[4]
Question 43
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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HL • Paper 2
Hard
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Monochromatic laser light of wavelength 632 nm632\ \text{nm} is incident normally on a single rectangular slit of width 0.180 mm0.180\ \text{mm}. The diffraction pattern is observed on a screen 3.20 m3.20\ \text{m} from the slit.

A single-slit diffraction arrangement with a laser beam incident normally on one narrow vertical rectangular slit. A screen is placed far to the right. On the screen is an intensity pattern with a central maximum and weaker side maxima; the positions of the first minima on either side of the centre are indicated but not labelled numerically.
A

Consider the first diffraction minima.

I.

Determine the angular position of the first minimum on one side of the central maximum.

[2]
II.

Estimate the width of the central maximum on the screen.

[3]
B

The slit width is decreased while the incident laser power remains constant. Discuss the changes to the observed intensity pattern.

[3]
Question 44
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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HL • Paper 2
Hard
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A diffraction grating has 500500 lines per millimetre. It is illuminated at normal incidence by monochromatic light of wavelength 520 nm520\ \text{nm}.

A diffraction grating arrangement with normally incident monochromatic light and a distant screen or angular scale. A central maximum is shown on the axis and first- and higher-order maxima appear symmetrically on both sides. Angles are measured from the central axis to a selected order.
A

Use the grating equation for the maxima.

I.

Determine the grating spacing.

[1]
II.

Calculate the angle of the second-order maximum.

[2]
III.

Determine the highest order maximum that can be observed.

[2]
B

Explain why the maxima from this grating are sharper than the maxima from a double slit of the same slit separation.

[2]

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Question 45
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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HL • Paper 2
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A laser illuminates two different aperture arrays at normal incidence. Array X has 22 equally spaced slits and array Y has 88 equally spaced slits. In both cases the slit separation and the illumination of each slit are the same.

Two intensity-against-angle sketches shown side by side. One is labelled Array X: two slits, with broad principal maxima and minima between. The other is labelled Array Y: eight slits, with principal maxima at the same angular positions as Array X but much narrower and taller. Both sketches are shown under the same broad single-slit envelope.
A

Compare the principal maxima for the two arrays.

I.

State what happens to the angular positions of the principal maxima when the number of illuminated slits increases from 22 to 88 while the slit separation is unchanged.

[1]
II.

Determine the ratio of the intensity of a principal maximum for array Y to that for array X, assuming equal illumination of each slit.

[2]
III.

State one change in the shape of the maxima for array Y compared with array X.

[1]
B

Explain why both patterns are shown under the same broad diffraction envelope.

[3]
Question 46
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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HL • Paper 2
Hard
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A double slit is illuminated normally by monochromatic light of wavelength 600 nm600\ \text{nm}. The slit separation is 0.300 mm0.300\ \text{mm} and each slit has width 0.0600 mm0.0600\ \text{mm}. A screen is placed far from the slits.

An intensity-against-position sketch for a real double-slit pattern. Regular narrow interference fringes are shown beneath a broad single-slit diffraction envelope. The central fringe is brightest, fringes fade away from the centre, and some expected interference orders are suppressed at the envelope minima. No numerical positions are shown.
A

Compare the angular positions predicted by the double-slit and single-slit conditions.

I.

Determine the angle of the first single-slit diffraction minimum.

[2]
II.

Determine which double-slit bright order first coincides with this diffraction minimum.

[3]
B

Evaluate the statement: increasing the slit separation makes the diffraction envelope narrower.

[3]
Question 47
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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HL • Paper 2
Hard
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White light is incident normally on a diffraction grating. The grating spacing is 1.67×10−6 m1.67\times10^{-6}\ \text{m}. Take the visible wavelength range to be from 400 nm400\ \text{nm} to 700 nm700\ \text{nm}.

A grating spectrum diagram with a central white maximum on the axis and spectra on both sides. First-order spectra are shown with blue closer to the central maximum and red farther away. Higher-order regions are indicated more faintly without numerical angle labels.
A

Consider the first-order spectrum.

I.

Calculate the angle for violet light of wavelength 400 nm400\ \text{nm} in the first order.

[2]
II.

Calculate the angle for red light of wavelength 700 nm700\ \text{nm} in the first order.

[2]
B

Discuss the appearance of the central maximum and the first-order spectra.

[2]
C

Evaluate whether all of the second-order visible spectrum can be observed.

[2]
Question 48
HL • Paper 2
Hard
Calculator Permitted
HL • Paper 2
Hard
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A student measures the wavelength of a laser using a diffraction grating. The grating has 600600 lines per millimetre. The angle θm\theta_m to several maxima is measured from the central maximum.

Graph of sin θ against diffraction order m.
A

The gradient of a graph of sin⁡θm\sin\theta_m against order mm is found to be 0.3820.382.

I.

Determine the grating spacing.

[1]
II.

Explain why the graph should be a straight line through the origin.

[2]
III.

Determine the wavelength of the laser light.

[2]
B

Evaluate two reasons why using higher diffraction orders can improve or reduce the quality of the wavelength measurement.

[3]

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C.2 Wave model

C.4 Standing waves and resonance