Name: ________________________

Sound Exam Questions Class: ________________________

Date: ________________________

Time: 20 minutes

Marks: 27 marks

Comments:

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 (a) The diagrams below show the patterns produced on an oscilloscope by three
1. different sound waves.

(i) Which two waves have the same loudness?

Write the letters.

............ and ............

How do the diagrams show this?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Which two waves have the same pitch?

Write the letters.

............ and ............

How do the diagrams show this?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(iii) Shuli is listening to a sound that produces the pattern below.

Describe how the sound that Shuli hears changes between X and Y.

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

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(b) The table below shows the maximum time a person can listen to music at
different sound levels without damage to the ear.

sound level (decibels) maximum time (hours)

86 8

88 4

90 2

92 1

94 0.5

Estimate the maximum time a person could listen to a sound of 87 decibels.

............ hours
1 mark

(c) The diagram below shows part of the human ear.

What happens to the ear drum as a sound gets louder?

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 5 marks

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 The table shows the speed at which sound travels through different materials.
2.

(a) Does sound travel fastest through solids or liquids or gases?

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) Sound travels through air. Air is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.

Use the information in the table to suggest the speed of sound in a mixture of nitrogen and
oxygen.

The speed of sound in this mixture is about …………………… m/s

1 mark

(c) Tom and Zoe make a string telephone.

They use two empty tin cans joined by a piece of string.

Tom and Zoe are 5 m apart.

Tom talks quietly into one tin can, and Zoe holds the other tin can to her ear.
If they keep the string tight, the sound of Tom's voice travels along the string.

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 (i) How does the sound travel along the string to Zoe?

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) How does the tin can at Zoe's end make a sound?

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 4 marks

The diagram shows part of an ear.

3.

Sound waves enter the ear and make the ear drum vibrate.

(a) The pitch of the sound is increased. What difference will this make to the way the ear
drum vibrates?

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) The sound is made louder. What difference will this make to the way the ear drum vibrates?

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark

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 (c) Explain how a person’s ear can be damaged by loud sounds.

......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................
1 mark
Maximum 3 marks

The dotar is a musical instrument with two strings.

4.

(a) Aftal plays the dotar very quietly.

What must he do to the strings to make a louder sound?

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(b) Aftal makes the strings tighter so they vibrate more quickly.

How does this affect the sound produced by the strings?

Tick the correct box.

The sound has a lower pitch.

The sound is louder.

The sound has a higher pitch.

The sound is quieter.

1 mark

(c) One of the strings is thicker than the other, so it vibrates more slowly.

In what way is the sound made by the thicker string different from the sound
made by the thinner string?

.........................................................................................................................
1 mark

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(d) Aftal played the dotar near a microphone connected to an oscilloscope.
The diagrams below show the patterns made by four sounds.

(i) How does the sound shown in trace A differ from the sound in trace B?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) How does the sound shown in trace A differ from the sound in trace C?

...............................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................
1 mark
maximum 5 marks

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 The diagram below shows part of the human ear.
5.

We can hear somebody speaking because sound waves enter our ears.

(a) (i) What do our eardrums do when sound waves reach them?

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

(ii) Sometimes a lot of wax is produced in the ear.

The wax rests against the eardrum, as shown above.

Give one reason why we cannot hear very well when our ears
contain a lot of wax.

.............................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................
1 mark

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 (b) The table below shows the lowest and highest frequencies that five living things can hear.

living lowest frequency highest frequency

thing (Hz) (Hz)

human 20 20 000

sparrow 300 20 000

dog 20 45 000

cat 20 64 000

rabbit 300 42 000

(i) Which three living things from the table cannot hear a frequency of
43 000 Hz?

.............................. and .............................. and ..............................

1 mark

(ii) From the table, choose the living thing that can hear the biggest range of
frequencies.

.............................................................
1 mark
maximum 4 marks

Three pupils watched a firework display.

6.
(a) A man lit the fireworks. He wore ear defenders.

Why should he wear ear defenders when he is close to loud fireworks?

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

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(b) A rocket exploded making a loud sound and a bright flash.
Peter, Sabrina and Jan were standing at different distances from the rocket.

When the rocket exploded, Jan heard the quietest sound.

Why did Jan hear the quietest sound?

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(c) Jan saw the flash before she heard the sound.

What does this tell you about the speed of light and the speed of sound?

........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................
1 mark

(d) Complete the sentences below using words from the list.

chemical electrical heat light sound

(i) Jan, Sabrina and Peter could see the rocket explode because it

gave out ................................... energy.

1 mark

(ii) They could hear the rocket explode because it gave out

........................................... energy.
1 mark

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(e) When the rocket stopped burning it fell to the ground.
What force caused it to fall to the ground?

.............................................................
1 mark
maximum 6 marks

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Mark schemes
(a) (i) • A and C
1.
letters may be in either order
both the letter and the correct explanation
are required for the mark

their amplitudes are the same

accept ‘the waves are the same height’
‘the height of the waves’ is insufficient
accept ‘they are equally tall’
‘they are big or tall’ is insufficient
‘taller waves are louder’ is insufficient
do not accept ‘they are equally long’
1 (L6)

(ii) • B and C
letters may be in either order
both the letter and the correct explanation
are required for the mark

their frequencies are the same

accept ‘the waves are the same distance apart’
‘the distance apart of the waves’ is insufficient
‘the less spaced out the waves,
the higher the pitch’ is insufficient
accept ‘the wave lengths are the same’
‘they are the same length or thickness or width’ is insufficient
accept ‘there are the same number of waves’
1 (L6)

(iii) • its pitch becomes higher

accept ‘the frequency gets higher’
‘it gets higher’ is insufficient
‘it becomes high’ is insufficient
1 (L6)

(b) • any number between 4.5 and 7.5 hours (inclusive)

1 (L5)

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 (c) any one from

• it vibrates with a greater amplitude

accept ‘it moves more’

• it has larger vibrations

accept ‘burst ear drum’
‘it vibrates harder’ and ‘it vibrates more’
are insufficient responses
do not accept ‘it vibrates faster’
1 (L5)
[5]

(a) solids
2.
accept ‘solid’
1 (L3)

(b) any number between 333 and 353 inclusive

1 (L4)

(c) (i) as waves or vibrations

accept ‘the string vibrates’ or ‘it vibrates’
1 (L4)

(ii) it vibrates
accept ‘it makes the air vibrate’
1 (L4)
[4]

(a) makes it vibrate with a higher frequency

3.
accept ‘it has a higher frequency’
or ‘it vibrates more quickly’
do not accept ‘it vibrates more’
1 (L7)

(b) the ear drum vibrates with a greater amplitude

accept ‘it has a greater amplitude’
or ‘larger vibrations’
do not accept ‘it vibrates more’
1 (L7)

(c) can burst the ear drum

accept ‘they damage the nerve endings
or cochlea or the bones in the ear or ear drum’
do not accept ‘they damage the ear’
1 (L7)
[3]

(a) pluck them harder

4.
‘make the strings vibrate more or move more
do not accept ‘make the strings vibrate more quickly’
1 (L5)

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 (b) The sound has a higher pitch
if more than one box is ticked, award no mark
1 (L5)

(c) the sound from the thicker string has a lower pitch or a lower frequency
accept ‘it has a lower pitch or a lower frequency’
accept ‘the sound from the thicker string is louder
or ‘it is louder’
answers must include a comparison
‘it is lower’ is insufficient
1 (L5)

(d) (i) the sound in A has a higher pitch or a higher frequency

accept’ it has a higher pitch or higher frequency’
answers must show a comparison
‘the vibrations are quicker’ is insufficient
‘it is higher’ is insufficient
1 (L6)

(ii) the sound in A is louder

accept ‘it is louder’
accept ‘the sound in C is quieter’
accept ‘it has a greater amplitude’
‘the vibrations are stronger
or of greater amplitude’ is insufficient
do not accept ‘it is higher’
1 (L6)
[5]

(a) (i) vibrate

5.
accept ‘move in and out’
‘move’ is insufficient
1 (L4)

(ii) any one from

• it stops the sound waves or vibrations reaching our eardrums

accept ‘it stops sound reaching our eardrum’
accept ‘it absorbs sound’
accept ‘it blocks the ear’

• it stops the eardrum vibrating

accept ‘it stops the eardrum moving in and out’

• the eardrum vibrates less

accept ‘soundwaves are reflected by the wax’
1 (L3)

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 (b) (i) human and sparrow and rabbit
accept ‘bird’ for sparrow
answers may be in any order
all three answers are required for the mark
1 (L4)

(ii) cat
1 (L4)
[4]

(a) any one from

6.
• loud sounds can damage hearing
accept ‘they could damage his hearing’

• to protect his ears

accept ‘loud sounds can damage the ear’

• loud sounds can burst the eardrum

accept ‘it could make him deaf’
accept ‘they are very loud’
‘they are loud’ is insufficient as
‘loud’ is given in the question
1 (L3)

(b) any one from

• the further the sound travels the quieter it gets

accept ‘the sound or energy spreads out’

• she was furthest away

accept ‘she was further away’ or ‘she was far away’
accept ‘some of the sound is absorbed’
1 (L3)

(c) any one from

• the speed of light is greater than the speed of sound

accept ‘sound travels more slowly’

• light travels faster than sound

accept ‘light travels faster’
accept ‘light gets there before sound’
1 (L4)

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(d) (i) • light
1 (L3)

(ii) • sound
1 (L3)

(e) gravity
accept ‘weight’
1 (L4)
[6]

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Examiner reports
More than 75% of pupils demonstrated a good knowledge of how sound travels between two
2. empty tin cans along a string telephone.

Pupils, as in the example, explained that sound travels by vibrations along a string but were not
able to transfer this understanding to the transmission of sound through the empty tin can. Many
of the wrong answers were couched in terms of echoes, without explaining how the sound was
made.

___________________________________________________________________

How does the sound travel along the string to Zoe?

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

The sound travels along the string by vibration

___________________________________________________________________

Overall this was the best answered question in the second part of the paper. Part (a) was very
3. well answered, with the most common reason for lost marks being imprecise or ambiguous
answers such as ‘it will vibrate more’. Part (b) was found to be more difficult, and the main
reason for the poor performance was once again imprecise or ambiguous answers which did not
refer to greater amplitude of vibration. Part (c) was very well answered by pupils at all levels with
a high number of pupils gaining the mark because they referred correctly to the ear drum being
damaged.

Facility Values

Question Target Marks facility value facility value facility value PoS reference
level boys girls all

Tier: 5-7 3 0.41 0.33 0.37

a 7 1 4/3n

b 7 1 4/3m

c 7 1 4/3k

In part (a) pupils needed to know that plucking the strings harder would make a louder sound.
4. About half of pupils at level 5, and most pupils at levels 6 and 7, gave the correct answer. The
most common error was to suggest that the strings should be tightened or loosened.

In part (b) half of pupils at level 5, and the majority of pupils at levels 6 and 7 chose the correct
option higher pitch. A significant number of pupils below level 6 thought that the sound would be
louder when the strings vibrate more quickly. Almost as many pupils at level 4 gave this response
as gave the correct answer.

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 In part (c) half of pupils at level 5, and the majority of pupils at levels 6 and 7 gave the correct
response the thicker string would make a lower pitched note. A significant number of pupils
below level 6 did not gain the mark because they were not specific enough, for example stating it
was lower, which could refer to pitch or loudness, others merely repeated the stem of the
question it vibrates slowly.

Part (d) proved to quite difficult for pupils at level 5 and 6, but no more difficult for pupils at level 7
than the previous parts of the question. About 80% of pupils at level 7 correctly stated that the
pitch of A would be higher than that of B for part (di), but at level 6 only half answered this
correctly. A significant of pupils failed to gain the mark mainly because their answers were
ambiguous, for example it is higher could refer to loudness as well as pitch and so is not
creditworthy.

The pattern for part (dii) was similar to that for part (di) with about 80% of pupils at level 7
correctly stating that the sound in trace A would be louder than the sound in trace C; again, a
significant number of pupils below level 7 failed to gain credit because their answers were vague
or insufficient.

There was evidence that a significant number of pupils below level 7 confuse pitch with
amplitude when interpreting wave patterns.

Facility values

Tier 3-6 Tier 5-7

L3 L4 L5 L6 L5 L6 L7

a .07 .18 .34 .54 .44 .58 .79

b .36 .44 .53 .66 .61 .73 .88

c .09 .26 .45 .55 .57 .65 .76

di .02 .14 .25 .36 .34 .50 .76

dii .11 .16 .29 .54 .36 .57 .77

Sc1/Sc4 4 marks Facility: 0.80

5.
Part (ai) discriminated well across all Levels, facilities ranging from 0.15 at Level 3 to 0.90 at
Level 6. Many pupils, especially below Level 5 gave incorrect responses that suggested the
eardrum sends signals to the brain.

Part (aii) was generally answered much better than the previous part (facility: 0.84), suggesting
that most pupils do understand that the eardrum vibrates, but did not realise that this was the
answer required in part (ai).

Virtually all pupils at Level 4 and above gained the mark for part (bi), compared with 54% at Level
3.

A similar pattern was found in part (bii), although performance at Level 3 was better, with 72%
gaining the mark. The few errors made were spread fairly evenly across the other options.

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 Facilities by tier and level achieved

Level

Item 3 4 5 6

ai .33 .50 .73 .85

aii .58 .80 .90 .93

bi .59 .85 .95 .99

bii .69 .89 .92 .97

Part (a) was well answered by most pupils at all levels. The most common answers to gain credit
6. were references to loud sounds bursting the eardrum or causing deafness. At all levels some
pupils did not gain the mark because they simply described the sound made by the fireworks as
loud which was in the question.

Part (b) was answered well by most pupils, with over 80% of pupils at each level gaining the
mark for recognising that Jan heard the quietest sound because she was furthest away. A small
number of pupils at all levels said that the sound was quieter in addition to Jan being further
away from the fireworks.

Virtually all pupils at levels 5 and 6 gained the mark in part (c). Pupils at levels 3 and 4 also did
relatively well with 50% and 80% respectively gaining the mark. Those pupils who did not gain
credit often referred to the speed of the flash instead of the speed of light.

Parts (di) and (dii) were answered very well by pupils at all levels with a very small minority
choosing incorrect options from the list provided. The most frequently chosen incorrect option for
part (di) was chemical; no incorrect option was more common than the others for part (dii).

Part (e) differentiated well between levels 3, 4 and 5, but less so between levels 5 and 6. A
significant number of pupils at all levels, but particularly at levels 3 and 4, gave an answer
referring to energy from the list of words provided in part (d) and not a force as required.

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Facility values

Tier 3-6

L3 L4 L5 L6

a .86 .90 .94 .92

b .87 .95 .94 .94

c .52 .82 .97 .99

di .80 .88 .96 .99

dii .91 .97 .97 .99

e .43 .68 .80 .92

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Notes
Ear and hearing not specifically mentioned in KS3 NC 2014
1.
Hearing and the ear are not in KS3 NC 2014
5.
Types of energy, damage to hearing not specifically mentioned in KS3 NC 2014
6.

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