DP Physics (first assessment 2025)

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Question 19M.2.SL.TZ1.3b

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Date May 2019 Marks available [Maximum mark: 3] Reference code 19M.2.SL.TZ1.3b
Level SL Paper 2 Time zone TZ1
Command term Determine Question number b Adapted from N/A
b.
[Maximum mark: 3]
19M.2.SL.TZ1.3b
(b)

The distance from S1 to Y is 1.243 m and the distance from S2 to Y is 1.181 m.

Determine the frequency of the microwaves.

[3]

Markscheme

path difference = 0.062 «m»✔

so wavelength = 0.031 «m»✔

frequency = 9.7 × 109 «Hz»✔

Award [2 max] for 4.8 x 109 Hz.

Examiners report

Many candidates struggled with this question. Few were able to calculate a proper path length difference, and then use that to calculate the wavelength and frequency. Many candidates went down blind paths of trying various equations from the data booklet, and some seemed to believe that the wavelength is just the reciprocal of the frequency.

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