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GCSE Physics 04 — Waves in Matter

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Topics include Wave basics: transverse vs longitudinal, Wave quantities and the wave speed equation, Wave behaviour at boundaries: reflection, refraction, diffraction, Sound waves: production, pitch and loudness, Hearing: the ear, range, and damage, Ultrasound: imaging and applications, The Doppler effect, and Seismic waves and Earth’s structure.

Physics EN
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Wave quantities and the wave speed equation

Exam-focused understanding of wave quantities and the wave speed equation and how it appears in GCSE questions.

Key points

  • Define key wave terms (amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period) and use SI units.
  • Use the wave speed equation v = fλ and rearrange it correctly.
  • Explain or predict wave behaviour (reflect/refract/diffract) using clear language and diagrams where needed.

Worked example

Question

A wave has frequency 250 Hz and wavelength 1.4 m. Calculate its speed.

Solution

Use v = fλ. v = 250 × 1.4 = 350 m/s.

Common pitfalls

  • Mixing up frequency (Hz) and period (s).
  • Forgetting to convert cm/mm to metres before using v = fλ.

Prerequisites

  • Rearranging equations
  • Using SI units and prefixes
Further resources