This exam focus covers Exam Focus within Wave Properties for GCSE Physics. Revise Wave Properties in Waves for GCSE Physics with 21 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 11 of 13 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
🎯 Exam Focus
Exam Favourite
This topic is examined in Edexcel 1PH0/1 (Paper 1). Edexcel questions frequently use real-world wave contexts — ripple tanks, oscilloscope traces, signal transmission — and ask students to apply v = fλ or describe wave behaviour using data from a diagram.
Wave properties appear in almost every GCSE Physics paper. Expect to:
- Use v = f × λ in calculations (always show substitution and units)
- Read wavelength or amplitude from a diagram or oscilloscope trace
- Describe transverse vs longitudinal with examples
- Identify wave features (compressions, rarefactions, crests, troughs) on diagrams
Common 6-mark question: "Describe the differences between transverse and longitudinal waves, giving an example of each and explaining what all waves have in common."
Practice questions for Wave Properties
What do waves transfer from one place to another?
Explain the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.