Lesson 5.2.2

5.2.2 Standing waves and waves on a string Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Physics, Unit 5

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 5.2.2, Standing waves and waves on a string: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Physics (9PH0), Unit 5: Waves and Particle Nature of Light, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is a node in a stationary wave?

    • A point where the displacement is always at its maximum
    • A point that moves with the largest amplitude
    • A point where the wave speed is zero
    • A point where the displacement is always zero

  2. What is an antinode in a stationary wave?

    • A point of maximum amplitude
    • A point where the displacement is always zero
    • A point with zero kinetic energy at every instant
    • A point where two waves always cancel

  3. What is the distance between two adjacent nodes in a stationary wave?

    • A quarter of a wavelength
    • The amplitude of the wave
    • A full wavelength
    • Half a wavelength

  4. How is a stationary wave formed?

    • By two waves of different frequencies travelling in the same direction
    • By superposition of two progressive waves of the same frequency and amplitude travelling in opposite directions
    • By a wave reflecting at a boundary without any interference
    • By a single wave whose amplitude varies with time

  5. Which expression gives the speed of a transverse wave on a string?

    • v = T/mu
    • v = mu T
    • v = sqrt(T/mu), where T is the tension and mu the mass per unit length
    • v = sqrt(mu/T)

  6. A string is fixed at both ends and vibrates in its fundamental mode. What is the wavelength of the wave?

    • Half the length of the string
    • Four times the length of the string
    • Twice the length of the string
    • Equal to the length of the string

  7. Keeping other factors constant, what happens to the frequency of a string's vibration if its tension is increased?

    • The frequency increases
    • The frequency decreases
    • The frequency halves
    • The frequency is unchanged, because the speed is constant

  8. A string of length 0.60 m is fixed at both ends and vibrates in its fundamental mode. What is the wavelength of the wave on the string?

    • 2.4 m
    • 0.30 m
    • 1.2 m
    • 0.60 m

  9. A string of length 0.60 m fixed at both ends has wave speed 120 m/s. What is its fundamental frequency?

    • 50 Hz
    • 72 Hz
    • 200 Hz
    • 100 Hz

  10. A string fixed at both ends has a fundamental frequency of 100 Hz. What is the frequency of its third harmonic?

    • 300 Hz
    • 400 Hz
    • 150 Hz
    • 100 Hz

  11. A string has tension 20 N and mass per unit length 0.0050 kg/m. What is the wave speed on the string?

    • 63 m/s
    • 4.0 m/s
    • 2000 m/s
    • 100 m/s

  12. The tension in a stretched string is quadrupled while its length and mass per unit length are unchanged. What happens to its fundamental frequency?

    • It doubles
    • It is unchanged
    • It quadruples
    • It halves

  13. A standing wave on a string fixed at both ends shows four antinodes. How many nodes are there, counting the two fixed ends?

    • 5
    • 8
    • 4
    • 3

  14. A standing wave has wavelength 0.36 m. What is the distance from a node to the nearest antinode?

    • 0.18 m
    • 0.090 m
    • 0.045 m
    • 0.36 m

  15. A string fixed at both ends has wave speed 200 m/s and fundamental frequency 250 Hz. What is its length?

    • 0.40 m
    • 0.20 m
    • 0.80 m
    • 0.10 m

  16. A student says that a standing wave transfers energy along a string just as a progressive wave does. Which evaluation is correct?

    • Correct, because standing waves transfer energy at the speed of the progressive waves
    • Incorrect, because no net energy is transferred along a standing wave; energy stays within the loops between nodes
    • Incorrect, because standing waves do not have nodes
    • Correct, because standing waves carry energy at their nodes

  17. A string of length 0.50 m is fixed at both ends and vibrates in its fundamental mode at 80 Hz. Its mass per unit length is 0.0040 kg/m. What is the tension in the string?

    • 13 N
    • 320 N
    • 26 N
    • 40 N

  18. Which single change to a string would halve its fundamental frequency, with other factors constant?

    • Doubling its tension
    • Halving its mass per unit length
    • Halving its tension
    • Doubling its length

  19. A string of length 1.2 m fixed at both ends vibrates in its third harmonic at 300 Hz. What is the wave speed on the string?

    • 120 m/s
    • 720 m/s
    • 240 m/s
    • 360 m/s

  20. In an experiment, a student plots the fundamental frequency of a string against 1/L for fixed tension and mass per unit length. Why should the graph be a straight line through the origin?

    • Because f is independent of L for a stretched string
    • Because the gradient of the graph gives the tension directly
    • Because f is proportional to L for a fixed tension
    • Because f = v/(2L) with fixed v, so f is directly proportional to 1/L

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