1.

(a) energy is propagated by travelling waves / energy is not propagated

by standing waves;
amplitude constant for travelling waves / amplitude varies with
position for standing waves;
phase varies with position for travelling waves / phase constant
for standing waves;
travelling waves do not have nodes and antinodes / standing waves
do have nodes and antinodes;
travelling waves can have any wavelength/frequency / standing
waves can only have certain wavelengths/frequencies (to fit
boundary conditions); 2 max

(b) (i) wave from tuning fork travels down tube and is reflected;
incident and reflected waves interfere/superpose/combine/
add together to give a standing wave (that fits the boundary
conditions); 2

(ii) the surface of the water (in/at the bottom of the tube); 1

(iii) the length of the air column has changed;

boundary conditions can no longer be met / the length is no
longer equal to one quarter of a wavelength;
hence a standing wave cannot form / resonance no longer
occurs / natural frequency of air column no longer equal
to frequency of sound; 3


 0.368 
(c) 2 λ = 0.736 m;
–1
v = f λ = 440 × 0.736 = 320 m s ; 2
[10]

2. (a) circular wavefronts around source, equally spaced;

moving observer intercepts more wavefronts per unit time / the time
between intercepting successive wavefronts is less;
hence observes a higher frequency / f′ > f;
or
circular wavefronts around source, equally spaced;
the velocity of the sound waves with respect to the observer is greater;
v
since f′ =  , observed frequency is also greater; 3

IB Questionbank Physics 1
  v  u0   330  15 
f    300 
(b) f′=  v   330  ;
= 314 Hz;
Award [0] for use of moving source formula.
Award [1] for use of v-uo to give 286 Hz. 2
[5]

 d 0.40

3. (a) θ = 1.22 b (Rayleigh criterion) and θ = D D (with small angle
approximation);
550 10 9 0.40
3

equate two expressions to get θ = 1.22 2.5  10 D ;
D = 1500 m; 3

(b) (ciliary) muscles change the shape of the lens;

for near objects, the lens is thicker/more curved/has shorter focal
length / for far objects, the lens is thinner/less curved/has longer
focal length; 2
[5]

L
4. (a) (i) L = 4λ or λ = 4 ; 1

(ii) two antinodes labelled;

with separation of integral number of wavelengths; 2

(b) f λ is the speed of the wave;

standing wave formed by interference of an incident and a
reflected progressive wave;
speed is the speed of this progressive wave; 3
[6]

5. (a) ability to focus light / see clearly images;

of objects that are at different distances from the eye; 2

(b) (ciliary) muscles;

change shape of lens / change focal length of lens;
thicker lens / more curvature, focus for objects nearer the eye; 3

IB Questionbank Physics 2
 (c) extra red colour/longer wavelengths gives impression of warmth;
additional blue colour/shorter wavelengths gives impression of cold; 2
[7]

6. (a) (i) either

observer sees image of blood cell;
moving at twice speed of blood cell;
or
Doppler shift “observed” by blood cell;
superposed on shift when cell acts as moving source; 2
Award [1] if mentioned that Doppler effect occurs twice.

(ii) need component of velocity of cell along direction of ultrasound beam; 1

2  4.5  10 6  v  cos40
(b) 740 = 1.5  10 3
–1
v = 0.16 m s ;
Award [1] if the speed of light is used. 2
[5]

7. (a) light with (electric field vector) vibrating in one direction only;
in plane normal to direction of energy transfer; 2

(b) model made of perspex /polythene etc.;

light passed through crossed polaroids;
with model between the polaroids;
when stressed, either colours seen if white light used
or light & dark regions seen if monochromatic light used;
colour/shade depends on degree of stressing;
stress causes rotation of plane of polarization in perspex; 6
[8]

8. (a) (i) used in bright light/day-time;

there are three types of cone cells sensitive to different colours;
few are connected to the same nerve implying greater detail
of the image formed;
used for photopic vision; 1 max

IB Questionbank Physics 3
 (ii) used in dim light/night-time;
insensitive to colour;
different rod cells are connected to the same nerve implying
loss of detail in the image formed;
used for scotopic vision; 1 max

(b) cone cells: their distribution increases as the principal axis is

approached (reaching a maximum at the fovea) /
maximum in centre, fewer away from principal axis;
rod cells: few, near the principal axis, most on the edges of the
retina / minimum in centre, more away from principal axis; 2

(c) since the light is dim rod cells will be used;

and these are mostly on the edge of the retina/they are far from the
principal axis; 2
[6]

9. (a) (comparison with the SHM displacement formula shows that) the
amplitude is A and this depends on x; 1

500π
(b) frequency is 2 π ;
f = 250 Hz; 2

(c) at x = 2.0 m, the amplitude is always equal to A = 12 sin π = 0

as required for a node; 1
[4]

10. (a) (i) angle of first minimum is 0.0014 rad;

–4 –7
thus λ = bθ = 0.0014 × 4.0 × l0 = 5.6 × l0 m; 2

IB Questionbank Physics 4
 (ii)

as shown above; 1
Accept if second pattern is drawn to the left of the other.

 3.0  108 
 
 43 10 9 
(b) wavelength is   = 7.0 × 10–3 m;
telescope can resolve an angular separation of
  7.0  10 3 
1.22  1.22  
 b 36  10 3
θ=   2.4 × 10–7;
–7 23 17
and so L = Dθ = 2.4 × 10 × 4.7 × 10 = 1.1 × 10 m; 3
[6]

11.

(a) horizontal line; (labelled U)

through half the incident intensity; 2

IB Questionbank Physics 5
 (b) curve starting at I0; (labelled P)
with minima and maxima as shown; 2
[4]

12. (a) the near point is the closest position of an object from the eye
that can be clearly focussed / objects placed closer than the near
point cannot be focussed by the eye OWTTE;
the far point is the furthest position of an object from the eye
that can be clearly focussed / OWTTE;
accommodation is the ability of the eye to focus on objects
placed anywhere between the near point and the far point /
OWTTE; 3
Award [1 max] if near and far points are defined in terms of distance.

(b) the (ciliary) muscles (of the eye) alter the shape of the eye lens;
thereby altering its focal length; 2
[5]

13. (a) (i)

general correct shape touching axis and symmetric about θ = 0

(at least one secondary maxima on each side); (judge by eye)
central maximum wider than secondary maxima;
secondary maxima at most one third intensity of central maximum; 3

d D

(ii) 2 b ;
2.0  1.2  5.2  10 7
d= 4.0  10 5 –2
= 3.12 × 10 m
≈ 3 cm 2

IB Questionbank Physics 6
 (b) Award [2 max] for a sensible argument.
e.g. light from each point forms a diffraction pattern after being focussed
by the eyepiece of the telescope;
if the diffraction patterns are not sufficiently well separated then
the points will not be resolved as separate sources;
Award [1 max] for the conclusion.
e.g. if the points cannot be resolved as separate sources the
planet cannot be seen as a disc; 3
[8]

14. (a) no energy propagated in a standing wave;

the amplitude of a standing wave is not constant;
points along a standing wave are either in phase or out of
phase with each other / OWTTE; 1 max

(b) (i) antinode at open end node at closed end; 1

(ii) antinode at open end and node at closed end and one more
node along pipe; 1
(judge by eye)

4L
(c) for λ1 = 4L and for λ2 = 3 ;
c 3c
f1 = 4 L and f2 = 4 L :
f1 1

f2 3 ; 3

(d) there must always be a node at the closed end and an antinode at

the open end / there must always be an integer number of 4 ; 1
[7]

15. (a) Scotopic vision / uses rod cells/is used in low intensity light/does
not distinguish between colours/does not see detail;
Photopic vision / uses cone cells/is used in high intensity
light/distinguishes colours/sees detail; 2

IB Questionbank Physics 7
 (b) Scotopic vision using rods is to be used;
sensitivity for blue wavelengths is high for rod cells;
and so blue will be seen most clearly;
Award [0] for bald answer, blue only, or incorrect argument. 3

 1.22 1.22  680 10 9 

  
 d  1. 5  10 3
(c) (i) θ=   5.5 × 10–4 rad; 1
–4
Accept answer missing the factor of 1.22 i.e. 4.5 × 10 rad.
Do not penalize absence of rad.

13
 s  4.0  10
 
d =    5.5  10 ;
4
(ii)
16
d = 7.2 × 10 m; 2
Accept answer that uses rounded answer from (i) i.e.
15 15
d = 7.3 × 10 m or has missed the factor of 1.22 i.e. d = 8.9 × 10 m.
[8]

16. (a) light in which the electric field is oscillating on only one plane; 1

(b) (i) refracted ray shown at right angles to reflected ray; 1

Judge by eye.

°
(ii) sin φ = n sin(90 – φ);
sin φ = n cos φ;
n = tan φ; (this marking point must be justified) 3

(iii) φ = 52° or 0.92 rad; 1

[6]

17. (a) the change in the observed frequency;

when there is relative motion between the source and the observer /
when either source or osbserver is moving; 2

(b) (i) Doppler effect occurs twice / moving detector (blood cells)
and moving source (blood cells in reflection) / “image”
source moves at twice velocity of red blood cells / OWTTE; 1

IB Questionbank Physics 8
  3.5 2v 
 3
 3

(ii)  5.2  10 1.5  10  v = 0.50 m s–1;
5 –1 8 –1
Accept 1.0 × 10 m s if 3.0 × 10 m s has been used for c. 1
or
use of Doppler formulas to give
 v v
 1  1
 f   f c   5.2 103  3.5  5.2 10 3 1.5  10 3
 v v
 1  1
 c 1.5 103
 v = 0.50 m s–1;

(iii) the blood cells have a range of speeds;

the direction at which the ultrasound is incident on the cells
varies / cells are rotating/tumbling / ultrasound reflects
from objects other than blood cells; 2
[6]

18. (a) yellow; 1

(b) the eye responds to the frequency (or energy per photon) of the light;
the frequency is unchanged by changes in refractive index; 2
[3]

19. (a) (i)

(ii)

v
(b) f= ;
to give f = 120Hz; 2

IB Questionbank Physics 9
  330 
 
(c) λ = 4L =  120 
= 0.69m; 2
[6]

20. (a) when source is moving towards the observer the wavefronts are
compressed/ frequency is increased;
(when source is moving away) the wavefronts are expanded /
frequency is decreased;
(this repeats so) a continuous rise and fall in pitch/frequency is heard; 3

(b) the maximum frequency occurs when the speaker is approaching

the observer;
1000 330
f = 330  30 ;
= 1100 Hz; 3
[6]

21. (a) all possible polarization directions are equally represented /

where the direction of polarization is random; 1

–2
(b) 0.50 W m ;
1
(I  cos θ) average value is 2
2
2

(c) polarizer and analyser separated by sugar solution; Accept a

diagram for this marking point.
measure angle / rotation of plane of polarization;
concentration proportional to angle; 2 max
[5]

22. (a) (i) Correct positioning of:

lens, retina and optic nerve; 1

(ii) convert a light signal into an electrical signal;

rods are used for black and white vision/contrast/scotopic;
cones are used for colour vision/photopic; 3

IB Questionbank Physics 10
 (b) for objects at different distances from the eye;
for the image to be focused;
the (ciliary) muscle changes the shape of the lens; 3
[7]

23. The diagram should be as follows:

lines shifted all in the same direction;

shift in B or the shift in C being noticeably larger than the shift in A;
lines shifted right; 3
Award [2 max] if lines are not labelled.
[3]

1.22
–6
24. (a) θ = b = 6.1 × 10 radians;
distance = θ × altitude;
–6 3
= 6.1 × 10 × 400 × 10 = 2.4 m; 3

(b) increase the lens diameter; 1

[4]

25. (a) hold the sheets one at a time up to each source and rotate them / OWTTE;
the sheet and source which give a variation in intensity upon rotation
are the polarizing/polarized ones / OWTTE; 2

IB Questionbank Physics 11
 (b) the solution rotates the plane of polarization;
light from polarized source is rotated by the solution;
the degree of rotation is measured by rotating the polarizing filter;
the angle of rotation gives an indication of the solution concentration /
OWTTE;
measure angle of rotation for a standard solution; 4 max

[6]

26. (a) rods; 1

(b) (i) similar shaped curve with different position of maximum;

lower maximum; 2
(ii) blue, red or green as appropriate to the sketch; 1

(c) three types of cones/cells involved in part (b)/photopic vision;

each has different frequency response;
normally a shortage/defect of one type / OWTTE; 3
[7]

IB Questionbank Physics 12
27. (a) shape of diffraction pattern acceptable;
central maximum of one pattern falls on first minimum of other;
relative heights of central and first maxima realistic for both patterns; 3

1.22 λ 1.22  400 10 9

θ
d

0.003

1.63 10  4 rad ;
(b)
 head lamp separation 1.2
  4
;
woman ® car distance =  tan θ  1.63  10 3
= 7.4 km
[6]

28. (a) light where the direction of the (electric) field is always/predominantly
in the same plane; 1

 
I  I 0 cos 2 60 
I0
4
;
(b) (i) 1
(ii)

2
general cos shape;
max at  = 0 and curve touches horizontal axis at  = 90; 2

(c) light is (partially) horizontally polarized by reflection;

sunglasses have a transmission axis at 90 to the plane of reflected light;
intensity of reflected light is reduced; 3
Award full marks for a clearly labelled diagram.
[7]

IB Questionbank Physics 13