# A teacher strikes a tuning fork and holds it close to the open end of a hollow tube. A student at the far end of the tube hears a clear musical note. Explain how sound travels from the tuning fork to the student's ear, referring to compressions and rarefactions.

> Cambridge International IGCSE Physics (0625) — 3.4 Sound · Explain · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. The vibrating tuning fork causes the air particles to vibrate / oscillate
2. Regions of compressions (particles pushed/closer together) and rarefactions (particles spread/further apart) are produced
3. The oscillations / vibrations of particles are parallel to / in the same direction as the direction of energy transfer / travel of the wave
4. Energy is transferred from the tuning fork to the student's ear without the air particles themselves being transferred / net movement of matter

## Key terms

- [compression](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/compression)
- [rarefaction](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/rarefaction)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Cambridge International IGCSE Physics (0625)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-teacher-strikes-a-tuning-fork-0701a34f) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.