Wave reflection and refraction — KCSE Physics

KCSE Physics · 109 practice questions · 9 syllabus objectives

39 easy36 medium34 hard

What You'll Learn

Key learning outcomes for this topic, aligned to the KNEC KCSE syllabus.

State conditions for interference, describe Young’s double slit experiment and explain constructive and destructive interference

State the laws of reflection of waves and apply them to water wave behaviour at a plane boundary

Explain refraction of waves in terms of change in speed and wavelength as the medium changes

Describe diffraction of waves through gaps and around obstacles; state the conditions for significant diffraction

Describe the ripple tank and its use to demonstrate wave properties

State the laws of reflection of waves and show reflection patterns from plane, concave and convex reflectors

Define refraction of waves and explain changes in speed, wavelength and direction at a boundary

Define diffraction and describe how gap size and wavelength affect the diffraction pattern

Wave reflection and refraction

Sample Questions

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1
easySHORT ANSWER4 marks

Define wave refraction and explain how it affects the speed and direction of waves when they pass from air into water. (4 marks)

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Part (a) — 1 mark
Wave refraction is the change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in speed (1 mk)
Part (b) — 1 mark
The speed of waves decreases when they enter water from air (1 mk)
Part (c) — 2 marks
The waves bend towards the normal as they enter the water (1 mk)
This bending occurs because the wave speed is slower in water than in air (1 mk)
2
easySHORT ANSWER2 marks

State the two laws of reflection of waves as they apply to a plane mirror. (2 marks)

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Part (a) — 2 marks
The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection (1 mk)
The incident wave, reflected wave, and normal are in the same plane (1 mk)
3
easySHORT ANSWER2 marks

Identify two properties of waves that can be demonstrated using a ripple tank. (2 marks)

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Part (a) — 2 marks
Reflection of waves when they hit a barrier (1 mk)
Refraction of waves as they enter a different medium (1 mk)
4

Name two factors that affect the diffraction of waves when they pass through a gap. (2 marks)

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Why Practise Wave reflection and refraction?

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