Multiple choice questions
Multiple choice questions are perhaps the easiest to complete - you simply put a cross in a box. However, the questions often have two answers that could, at first glance, be correct. Don't make the mistake of reading the first answer and thinking this is correct without checking all the others.
If it says 'Tick one box', you must tick one box. If you leave it blank or tick two or more boxes, you will get zero marks. These multiple choice questions will not start with command words like 'describe' or 'explain'. They will be written in the form of a question like 'What鈥?' or 'Why鈥?'.
There will be more multiple choice questions on the Foundation paper.
Edexcel questions courtesy of Pearson Education Ltd.
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Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Seismic (earthquake) waves can be either P-waves or S-waves.
Which row of the table is correct for P-waves? [1 mark]
Put a tick in the box next to your answer.
| Type of wave | Can they be refracted? | ||
| A | Longitudinal | Yes | |
| B | Transverse | No | |
| C | Longitudinal | No | |
| D | Transverse | Yes |
| A | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Longitudinal |
| Can they be refracted? | Yes |
| B | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Transverse |
| Can they be refracted? | No |
| C | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Longitudinal |
| Can they be refracted? | No |
| D | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Transverse |
| Can they be refracted? | Yes |
| Type of wave | Can they be refracted? | ||
| A | Longitudinal | Yes | 鉁 |
| B | Transverse | No | |
| C | Longitudinal | No | |
| D | Transverse | Yes |
| A | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Longitudinal |
| Can they be refracted? | Yes |
| 鉁 | |
| B | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Transverse |
| Can they be refracted? | No |
| C | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Longitudinal |
| Can they be refracted? | No |
| D | |
|---|---|
| Type of wave | Transverse |
| Can they be refracted? | Yes |
P-waves are longitudinal, all waves can be refracted.
Sample question 2 - Foundation and Higher
Question
The diagram shows a transverse wave:
a) Use the words shown below to label the distances X and Y. [2 marks]
amplitude, frequency, magnification, speed, wavelength
b) Q is a particle in the wave.
Which of these shows the way in which particle Q moves? [1 mark]
a)
X = amplitude
Y = wavelength
b) A
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
This figure shows a ripple tank which is used to study the behaviour of water waves:
Water waves are produced in the tank. The shadow of the waves is projected onto the screen below the tank. The waves appear to move in the direction of the arrow. The screen is 80 cm long.
a) What is the approximate wavelength of the waves as seen on the screen? [1 mark]
| A | 4 cm | |
| B | 8 cm | |
| C | 40 cm | |
| D | 80 cm |
| A |
| 4 cm |
| B |
| 8 cm |
| C |
| 40 cm |
| D |
| 80 cm |
b) A student uses the image to estimate the speed of the water wave as 75 cm/s.
Which of these is a reason why the estimate is not correct? [1 mark]
| A | The student used a ruler without mm markings | |
| B | The light was not bright enough | |
| C | The student's measurement was inaccurate | |
| D | The wave seen on the screen is magnified |
| A |
| The student used a ruler without mm markings |
| B |
| The light was not bright enough |
| C |
| The student's measurement was inaccurate |
| D |
| The wave seen on the screen is magnified |
a)
| A | 4 cm | 鉁 |
| B | 8 cm | |
| C | 40 cm | |
| D | 80 cm |
| A |
| 4 cm |
| 鉁 |
| B |
| 8 cm |
| C |
| 40 cm |
| D |
| 80 cm |
Count the number of wavelengths shown on the screen. Calculate 80 梅 number of wavelengths. There are 19 wavelengths, so 80 梅 19 = 4.21 cm. The question asks for the approximate wavelength. When rounded to the nearest cm, the answer is 4 cm.
b)
| A | The student used a ruler without mm markings | |
| B | The light was not bright enough | |
| C | The student's measurement was inaccurate | |
| D | The wave seen on the screen is magnified | 鉁 |
| A |
| The student used a ruler without mm markings |
| B |
| The light was not bright enough |
| C |
| The student's measurement was inaccurate |
| D |
| The wave seen on the screen is magnified |
| 鉁 |
The waves on the screen are larger than the waves in the water 鈥 they have been magnified.