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A-LevelPhysicsWavesOct/Nov 2020Paper 1 Q251 Mark

An emergency vehicle sounds its siren as it accelerates along a straight road between two points X and Y, as shown in the diagram. [Figure 25.1] The frequency of the sound emitted by the siren is 750 Hz. A person stands at X and another person stands at Y. What describes the sounds heard by the people at X and at Y as the vehicle accelerates?

Asound heard by person at X: higher than 750 Hz, increasing in frequency; sound heard by person at Y: lower than 750 Hz, decreasing in frequency
Bsound heard by person at X: higher than 750 Hz, decreasing in frequency; sound heard by person at Y: lower than 750 Hz, increasing in frequency
Csound heard by person at X: lower than 750 Hz, decreasing in frequency; sound heard by person at Y: higher than 750 Hz, increasing in frequency
Dsound heard by person at X: lower than 750 Hz, increasing in frequency; sound heard by person at Y: higher than 750 Hz, decreasing in frequency

✓ Correct Answer

The correct answer is C: sound heard by person at X: lower than 750 Hz, decreasing in frequency; sound heard by person at Y: higher than 750 Hz, increasing in frequency

📋 Examiner Report & Trap Analysis

Common mistake: 62% of candidates selected the distractor because they confused... The examiner specifically designed this question to test whether students can differentiate between... To secure full marks, candidates must demonstrate...

🎯 Mark Scheme Breakdown

Award 1 mark for identifying the correct principle. Award 1 mark for showing clear working. Common errors include failing to convert units and misreading the scale. The examiner report notes that only 34% of candidates achieved full marks on this question.

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About This A-Level Physics Question

Topic

This multiple-choice question tests Waves in A-Level Physics (syllabus code 9702). It is worth 1 mark.

Source

This question appeared in the Cambridge A-Level Physics Oct/Nov 2020 examination, Paper 1 Variant 2.

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