Practice IB Physics Topic C.3 Wave Phenomena with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for C.3 Wave Phenomena and mirrors Paper 1A, 1B, 2 style where relevant.
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A light wave travels from air into glass.
(a) the term “refraction”.
(b) what happens to the speed of light as it enters the glass.
(c) whether the wavelength increases, decreases, or remains constant in the glass.
(d) why the direction of the wave changes when it enters the glass.
A student shines a red laser onto a double slit and observes a pattern on a screen.
(a) and the intensity pattern observed.
(b) how the fringe spacing would change if the slit separation is increased.
(c) this change using the interference equation.
A ray of light enters a transparent block from air at an angle of incidence of .
(a) the term “refractive index”.
(b) the equation that relates angle of incidence and refraction.
A wave travels through a narrow gap and spreads out. Which factor increases the amount of diffraction?
A double-slit experiment is performed using monochromatic light of wavelength . The two slits are separated by , and the screen is placed from the slits.
(a) the separation between adjacent bright fringes on the screen.
(c) the effect of doubling the slit separation on the fringe spacing.
(d) one practical reason why increasing slit separation might reduce the visibility of the interference pattern.
(c) the angle of refraction in glass of refractive index .
(b) The experiment is repeated using light of shorter wavelength. and the effect this has on the fringe pattern.
(e) why coherent light is necessary in a double-slit interference experiment.
Making the gap wider than the wavelength
Increasing the wave's frequency
Using a shorter wavelength
Using a wavelength similar to the gap size
