Waves Worksheet - GCSE - Beginner

Waves worksheet for GCSE (Key Stage 4 / GCSE (Ages 14-16)). Beginner level science practice, aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Print-ready with answer key included.

Science•Key Stage 4 / GCSE (Ages 14-16)•Wavesbeginner

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GCSE Physics: Waves in Focus

Key Stage 4 • Ages 14–16 • Beginner

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Instructions: Work through the activities in order, using the guidance to build confidence. Show your working for calculations and include units in your answers. Use the wave speed equation where needed: wave speed = frequency × wavelength (v = fλ).

Wave vocabulary and models

Read each description carefully and answer using precise GCSE physics vocabulary. A transverse wave oscillates at right angles to its direction of travel; a longitudinal wave oscillates parallel to it. Give a clear example where asked.

1. State the direction of oscillations in a transverse wave compared with the direction the wave travels.

2. State the direction of oscillations in a longitudinal wave compared with the direction the wave travels.

3. Name the regions of a longitudinal wave where particles are close together and far apart.

4. Name one example of a transverse wave and one example of a longitudinal wave.

Compare transverse and longitudinal waves

Use the completed comparison table to identify similarities and differences. Keep answers concise and refer to oscillations, wave direction or particle spacing where appropriate.

Feature	Transverse wave	Longitudinal wave
Oscillation direction	At right angles to wave travel	Parallel to wave travel
Characteristic regions	Crests and troughs	Compressions and rarefactions
Example	Electromagnetic wave	Sound wave in air

1. Which wave type has compressions and rarefactions?

2. In which wave type are oscillations at right angles to the direction of travel?

3. State one feature shared by both wave types.

Use the wave speed equation

Use v = fλ, where v is wave speed in metres per second (m/s), f is frequency in hertz (Hz), and λ is wavelength in metres (m). Rearrange the equation when needed, substitute the values, and show your working with units.

Worked example: A wave has frequency 4 Hz and wavelength 3 m. v = fλ = 4 × 3 = 12 m/s.

1. A wave has frequency 5 Hz and wavelength 2 m. Calculate its speed.

2. A wave travels at 24 m/s and has a frequency of 6 Hz. Calculate its wavelength.

3. A wave travels at 15 m/s and has a wavelength of 3 m. Calculate its frequency.

4. A wave has frequency 8 Hz and wavelength 0.5 m. Calculate its speed.

The electromagnetic spectrum

Use the word bank to complete each statement. The electromagnetic spectrum is ordered from the longest wavelength to the shortest wavelength as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays.

Word bank: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays

1. The electromagnetic wave with the longest wavelength is ___.

2. The electromagnetic wave used to transmit information to a satellite is ___.

3. The part of the spectrum detected by the human eye is ___.

4. The electromagnetic waves with the highest frequency are ___.

Apply your electromagnetic spectrum knowledge

Choose the best answer for each question. The electromagnetic waves listed are all transverse waves and travel at the same speed in a vacuum. Think about their uses and relative frequencies.

1. Which electromagnetic wave is commonly used in thermal imaging?

2. Which electromagnetic wave is used to produce images of bones in medical imaging?

3. Which electromagnetic wave has a higher frequency than visible light?

4. Which statement about electromagnetic waves in a vacuum is correct?

Explain wave behaviour

Write in full sentences and use the key terms from the worksheet. For the first question, explain the relationship between frequency, wavelength and speed. For the second, connect the wave type to the way particles oscillate.

1. Explain how the wavelength of a wave changes if its frequency increases while its speed stays constant. [3 marks]

2. Describe how the oscillations differ in transverse and longitudinal waves, including the terms compressions and rarefactions. [3 marks]

Answer Key

Activity 1: 1. At right angles (perpendicular) to the direction of travel ; 2. Parallel to the direction of travel ; 3. Compressions and rarefactions ; 4. Examples: transverse—electromagnetic waves or waves on a string; longitudinal—sound waves in air

Activity 2: 1. Longitudinal wave ; 2. Transverse wave ; 3. Both transfer energy; accept both are waves

Activity 3: 1. 10 m/s ; 2. 4 m ; 3. 5 Hz ; 4. 4 m/s

Activity 4: 1. Radio waves ; 2. Microwaves ; 3. Visible light ; 4. Gamma rays

Activity 5: 1. Infrared ; 2. X-rays ; 3. Ultraviolet ; 4. They all travel at the same speed

Activity 6: 1. If speed stays constant and frequency increases, wavelength decreases because v = fλ and wavelength is inversely proportional to frequency ; 2. In a transverse wave, oscillations are at right angles to the direction of travel. In a longitudinal wave, oscillations are parallel to the direction of travel, producing compressions and rarefactions