AQA A LEVEL PHYSICS - WAVES AND
OPTICS LATEST EDITION WITH ACCURATE
ANSWERS 2025/2026
mechanical wave - ANS-vibrations of particles of a substance (e.g. sound waves, seismic waves, waves on
strings)
electromagnetic waves - ANS-electric and magnetic waves, need no medium (e.g. microwaves, light, UV)
transverse wave - ANS-direction of oscillation/vibration is perpendicular to direction of movement
transverse wave example - ANS-light (any electromagnetic wave)
longitudinal wave - ANS-direction of oscillation/vibration is parallel to direction of movement
longitudinal wave example - ANS-sound (also seismic p-waves)
displacement - ANS-distance and direction from equilibrium position
amplitude - ANS-maximum displacement
wavelength - ANS-least distance between two particles with same displacement and velocity at same
time
cycle - ANS-from one maximum displacement to the next
, frequency - ANS-number of complete waves passing a point per second, measured in Hz
Wave speed - ANS-fλ
period - ANS-1/f (time for one full wave to pass a point)
phase difference - ANS-2πd/λ
principle of superposition - ANS-total displacement at a point = sum of displacements on each wave at
that point
conditions for stationary waves to form - ANS-2 progressive waves, travelling in opposite directions,
same frequency and wavelength (often same source), similar amplitude
maxima - ANS-large amplitude
constructive interference - ANS-waves arrive in phase and reinforce each other
minima - ANS-zero amplitude
destructive interference - ANS-waves arrive in antiphase (pi out of phase) and cancel each other out
first harmonic - ANS-
second harmonic - ANS-
third harmonic - ANS-
first harmonic frequency - ANS-c/2L
OPTICS LATEST EDITION WITH ACCURATE
ANSWERS 2025/2026
mechanical wave - ANS-vibrations of particles of a substance (e.g. sound waves, seismic waves, waves on
strings)
electromagnetic waves - ANS-electric and magnetic waves, need no medium (e.g. microwaves, light, UV)
transverse wave - ANS-direction of oscillation/vibration is perpendicular to direction of movement
transverse wave example - ANS-light (any electromagnetic wave)
longitudinal wave - ANS-direction of oscillation/vibration is parallel to direction of movement
longitudinal wave example - ANS-sound (also seismic p-waves)
displacement - ANS-distance and direction from equilibrium position
amplitude - ANS-maximum displacement
wavelength - ANS-least distance between two particles with same displacement and velocity at same
time
cycle - ANS-from one maximum displacement to the next
, frequency - ANS-number of complete waves passing a point per second, measured in Hz
Wave speed - ANS-fλ
period - ANS-1/f (time for one full wave to pass a point)
phase difference - ANS-2πd/λ
principle of superposition - ANS-total displacement at a point = sum of displacements on each wave at
that point
conditions for stationary waves to form - ANS-2 progressive waves, travelling in opposite directions,
same frequency and wavelength (often same source), similar amplitude
maxima - ANS-large amplitude
constructive interference - ANS-waves arrive in phase and reinforce each other
minima - ANS-zero amplitude
destructive interference - ANS-waves arrive in antiphase (pi out of phase) and cancel each other out
first harmonic - ANS-
second harmonic - ANS-
third harmonic - ANS-
first harmonic frequency - ANS-c/2L
