A student stretches a long rope between two posts and flicks one end up and down repeatedly to produce a wave. Describe the nature of this wave, explaining how energy is transferred along the rope and what happens to the particles of the rope as the wave passes through.
Written & reviewed by James Millett — Biology (Imperial College London), PGCE Science (University of Cambridge).
Model answer (5 marks)
The wave is a transverse wave.
The particles of the rope vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
Energy is transferred along the rope in the direction the wave propagates.
The particles do not move with the wave; the rope itself does not translate.
Each part of the rope is set into motion in turn, passing the disturbance along.
The particles of the rope vibrate perpendicular to the direction of wave travel.
Energy is transferred along the rope in the direction the wave propagates.
The particles do not move with the wave; the rope itself does not translate.
Each part of the rope is set into motion in turn, passing the disturbance along.
Examiner tips
- Use the word "transverse" to identify the wave type.
- Mention that particle motion is perpendicular to energy transfer.
- State that energy moves along the rope, not the rope itself.
- Show that the rope’s particles oscillate but do not travel with the wave.
Common mistakes
- Calling the wave longitudinal instead of transverse.
- Saying the rope moves along with the wave.
- Confusing particle motion with the direction of energy transfer.
Mark scheme (5 marks)
- The wave produced in the rope is a transverse wave
- The particles of the rope vibrate/oscillate at right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of wave travel/energy transfer
- Energy is transferred in the direction the wave travels (along the rope)
- The particles of the rope do not travel with the wave / the rope does not move along / matter is not transferred
- Each part of the rope is made to vibrate/oscillate in turn as the wave passes, passing the disturbance along
Related
- All Eduqas A-Level Physics revision notes →
- How to answer a "Describe" question →
- Decode the mark scheme abbreviations →
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