Lesson 4.4.3

4.4.3 Superposition Quiz: OCR Physics, Unit 3

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.4.3, Superposition: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Physics (H156), Unit 3: Electrons, waves and photons, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. According to the principle of superposition, how is resultant wave displacement determined?

    • Difference of frequencies
    • Product of amplitudes
    • Ratio of wavelengths
    • Sum of displacements

  2. What type of interference occurs when two coherent waves have a path difference of one wavelength?

    • Total internal reflection
    • Complete polarisation
    • Constructive interference
    • Destructive interference

  3. A phase difference of pi rad between two waves of equal amplitude causes:

    • destructive interference
    • constructive interference
    • a doubled amplitude
    • a change in frequency

  4. For two wave sources to be described as coherent, what must remain constant?

    • Path difference
    • Wave amplitude
    • Phase difference
    • Distance apart

  5. In the Young double-slit experiment, the fringe separation x is given by:

    • x = D/(lambda a)
    • x = lambda D/a
    • x = lambda a D
    • x = a lambda/D

  6. In a double-slit experiment, fringe spacing is 2.0 mm, screen distance 1.5 m and slit separation 0.50 mm. What is the wavelength of light?

    • 6.7 x 10^-4 m
    • 2.0 x 10^-6 m
    • 6.7 x 10^-7 m
    • 1.5 x 10^-6 m

  7. Light of wavelength 600 nm passes through slits 0.30 mm apart onto a screen 2.0 m away. What is the fringe spacing?

    • 0.4 mm
    • 4.0 mm
    • 40 mm
    • 1.0 mm

  8. Two in-phase microwave sources give a point a path difference of half a wavelength. What is observed there?

    • a stationary node
    • a doubled amplitude
    • constructive interference
    • destructive interference

  9. A diffraction grating has spacing 2.0 x 10^-6 m and light of wavelength 500 nm is used. What is the angle of the first-order maximum?

    • 75.5 degrees
    • 4.0 degrees
    • 30.0 degrees
    • 14.5 degrees

  10. A path difference of 1.5 wavelengths corresponds to a phase difference of:

    • 1.5 pi rad
    • pi rad
    • 3 pi rad
    • 1.5 rad

  11. Two coherent waves of equal amplitude meet in antiphase. What is the resultant amplitude?

    • Double
    • Half
    • Quadruple
    • Zero

  12. What must remain constant between two sources to produce a stable interference pattern?

    • Fringe spacing
    • Path difference
    • Distance to screen
    • Phase difference

  13. Why do two independent lamps produce no visible interference pattern?

    • Identical frequencies
    • Constant amplitude
    • Zero path difference
    • Random phase differences

  14. Two coherent sound sources produce a path difference of one wavelength at a listener. What is heard?

    • Lower frequency pitch
    • Minimum sound intensity
    • Half original intensity
    • Maximum sound intensity

  15. Blue light and red light are used in turn in the same double-slit set-up. Compared with red light, the blue fringes are:

    • closer together
    • further apart
    • absent
    • the same spacing

  16. If slit separation in a double-slit experiment is doubled, what happens to fringe spacing?

    • It halves
    • It stays constant
    • It quadruples
    • It doubles

  17. Two coherent waves of equal amplitude A have a phase difference of 60 degrees. What is the resultant amplitude?

    • 2.0A
    • 1.0A
    • 0A
    • 1.7A

  18. Two coherent sources, each giving intensity I0, are in phase at a point. What is the resultant intensity?

    • 0
    • I0
    • 4 I0
    • 2 I0

  19. Laser light of wavelength 650 nm passes through slits 0.20 mm apart onto a screen 1.0 m away. What is the fringe spacing?

    • 6.5 mm
    • 0.33 mm
    • 30 mm
    • 3.3 mm

  20. Two equal coherent waves of amplitude A have a path difference of 0.25 wavelength at a point. What is the resultant amplitude there?

    • 0.5A
    • 2.0A
    • 1.4A
    • 0A

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