Physics Zen

Waves & Optics

Waves & Sound

Speed, frequency, wavelength and the Doppler shift

6 skills · Last skill is Premium

Waves and sound cover wave speed and graphs, interference, the electromagnetic spectrum and polarisation, echoes, the Doppler shift, sound intensity and standing-wave harmonics.

Skills in this topic

  • Wave Speed & Frequency

    Link speed, frequency and wavelength, and find the speed of a wave on a string

  • Wave Graphs & Interference

    Read wave graphs against position and time, use the sine-wave equation, and find where two sources reinforce or cancel

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum

    Turn wavelength into frequency for light and radio, place a wave in its band, and send light through polarisers

  • Sound & Doppler

    Time an echo, adjust the speed of sound for temperature, and shift a frequency

  • Sound Intensity & Decibels

    Calculate sound intensity from a point source and express sound level in decibels

  • Standing Waves

    Find the harmonics of a string and of open and closed pipes

Exam paths that include this topic

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