This higher tier covers Higher Tier Only: Period and Frequency 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 10 of 13 in this topic. This section is most useful once the core foundation idea is secure, because it adds the detail that pushes answers higher.
🎓 Higher Tier Only: Period and Frequency
Period (T) and frequency (f) are reciprocals of each other:
T = 1/f and f = 1/T
For example, a wave with frequency 50 Hz has a period of 1/50 = 0.02 s (it completes one full oscillation every 0.02 seconds). This relationship is important when interpreting oscilloscope traces — the horizontal scale gives you period, from which you can calculate frequency.
Quick Check: Is sound a transverse or longitudinal wave? How do you know?
Sound is a longitudinal wave. Air molecules vibrate parallel to the direction the sound travels, creating compressions and rarefactions. It cannot be transverse because air cannot support sideways (shear) vibrations.
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.