Foundation scheme of work
Physics – Waves
This resource provides guidance for teaching the Waves topic from our new GCSE in Physics. It is based on the draft GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy
specification (8464), and is likely to be revised on accreditation of the final specification. These revisions will be published on the website after accreditation.
The scheme of work is designed to be a flexible term plan for teaching content and development of the skills that will be assessed.
It is provided in Word format to help you create your own teaching plan – you can edit and customise it according to your needs. This scheme of work is not
exhaustive, it only suggests activities and resources you could find useful in your teaching.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
6.3.1 Waves in air, fluids and solids
Spec ref.
6.3.1.1
Summary of the
specification
content
Transverse and
longitudinal waves
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Waves may be either
transverse or longitudinal.
In a transverse wave the
oscillations are perpendicular to
the direction of energy transfer.
The ripples on a water surface
are an example of a transverse
wave.
In a longitudinal wave the
oscillations are parallel to the
direction of energy transfer.
Longitudinal waves show areas
of compression and rarefaction.
Sound waves travelling through
air are longitudinal.
Suggested
timing
(hours)
1
Opportunities to develop
scientific communication skills
Draw diagrams to show the
features of transverse and
longitudinal waves.
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Describe the propagation of
both transverse and
longitudinal waves.
Students identify different
kinds of waves using a
circus of activities including:
 a bowl of water (or ripple
tank if available)
 tuning forks
 a ray box
 a radio.
Students describe the origin
(source) of the wave.
Label a diagram of a sound
wave with the changes in air
pressure in regions of
compression and rarefaction.
Use a slinky to demo the
shapes of longitudinal and
transverse waves.
Give examples of both
transverse and longitudinal
waves.
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities and
resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
ExamPro
GCSE Physics
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QP09S.3F.03
Describe how the speed of
sound waves in air can be
measured experimentally.
Describe how the speed of
ripples on a water surface can
be measured.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
2 of 9
Spec ref.
6.3.1.2
Summary of the
specification
content
Properties of
waves
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Waves are described by their
amplitude, wavelength,
frequency and period.
The amplitude of a wave is the
maximum displacement of a
point on a wave away from its
undisturbed position.
Suggested
timing
(hours)
1
Opportunities to develop
scientific communication skills
Define:
 Wavelength
 Amplitude
 Frequency
 Peak
 Trough
 Period.
The wavelength of a wave is the
distance from a point on one
wave to the equivalent point on
the adjacent wave.
Calculate the wavelength of a
wave from a labelled diagram
of a wave.
The frequency of a wave is the
number of waves passing a
point each second.
Calculate the frequency of a
wave given the number of
waves (possibly from
interpreting a diagram) and the
time.
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑 [𝑇] =
1
𝑓
period, T, in seconds, s
frequency, f, in Hertz, Hz
The period of a wave is how
long it takes for one wave to
pass a point.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Use an oscilloscope and
signal generator to
generator sounds with
different amplitudes and
frequencies. Compare the
highest sound heard by the
teacher with that of the
students (older people lose
the highest frequencies).
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities and
resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
ExamPro
GCSE Physics
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Students can compare the
frequency of different
sounds made by vibrating a
ruler against the desk. How
can high or low pitch sound
be made? Compare the
pitch with the frequency of
vibration.
If available, use a Ruben’s
tube to demonstrate how
pitch and amplitude
changes with various kinds
of sound (or music). If a
3 of 9
Spec ref.
Summary of the
specification
content
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Suggested
timing
(hours)
Opportunities to develop
scientific communication skills
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities and
resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
6.3.1.2
Wave speed
The wave speed is the speed at
which the energy is transferred
(or the wave moves) through
the medium.
All waves obey the wave
equation:
𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑 =
𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ
[𝑣 = 𝑓𝜆]
wave speed, v, in metres per
second, m/s
frequency, f, in Hertz, Hz
wavelength, λ, in metres, m
1
Describe how as sound waves
travel from one medium to
another there are changes in
velocity, frequency and
wavelength.
Calculate the speed of a wave.
Students should perform
practice calculations to help
them remember the equation.
Rearrange the equation to find
any unknown given the other
two values.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Ruben’s tube is not
available, there are many
online videos available:
You Tube – Portland
Rubens’ Tube – Music Trials
Students can listen to a
pencil tapping on the desk
through air and then with
their ear on the desk to
compare the changes in
sound heard.
Students can measure the
speed of sound by banging
a cymbal 100 m away and
timing when the sound is
heard.
ExamPro
GCSE Physics
Q13S.1F.05
Q13W.1F.04
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QP14S.1F.02
QK14S6F11
If a ripple tank is available
(as equipment or as a
simulation) students can
observe the waves to
measure speed, frequency
and wavelength.
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6.3.2 Electromagnetic waves
Spec ref.
6.3.2.1
Summary of the
specification
content
Types of
electromagnetic
waves
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Electromagnetic waves are
transverse waves that transfer
energy from the source of the
waves to an absorber.
Electromagnetic waves form a
continuous spectrum and all
types of electromagnetic wave
travel at the same velocity
through a vacuum (space) or
air.
The waves that form the
electromagnetic spectrum are
grouped in terms of their
wavelength and their frequency.
Going from long to short
wavelength (or from low to high
frequency) the groups are: radio, microwave, infra-red,
visible light (red to violet), ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma-rays.
Our eyes detect visible light and
so only detect a limited range of
electromagnetic waves.
Suggested
timing
(hours)
1
Opportunities to develop scientific
communication skills
State that electromagnetic
waves transfer energy from one
place to an absorber of that
energy.
State that electromagnetic
waves can travel through a
vacuum at the speed of light,
3.0x108 m/s, using image of the
Sun through different
wavelengths as an example.
On an A3 print out of waves,
students state the names of all
electromagnetic waves in the
correct order from shortest to
longest wavelength.
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Circus of demonstrations of
the range of electromagnetic
waves. Include:
 a radio
 a mobile phone
 a remote control
 a torch
 a UV lamp (or UV
sensitive materials)
 pictures of X-rays.
Students can disperse white
using a prism to establish
that our eyes can only detect
a small part of the spectrum.
Add the colours in order to
their poster.
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities
and resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
ExamPro
GCSE Physics
Q13S.1F.02
Q14S.1F.06
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Q09W.1F.01
Students put the
EM waves into
the correct order
in terms of
hazard level.
State that the only part of the
electromagnetic spectrum that is
visible to us is visible light.
Students can think up an
acronym to help them remember
the order of the EM spectrum.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
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Spec ref.
Summary of the
specification
content
6.3.2.2
Properties of
electromagnetic
waves
6.3.2.3
Gamma and X-ray
wave
6.3.2.3
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Different wavelengths of
electromagnetic waves are
reflected, refracted, absorbed or
transmitted differently by
different substances and types
of surface.
Suggested
timing
(hours)
Opportunities to develop scientific
communication skills
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities
and resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
ExamPro
GCSE Science
A
QK13W6F09
1
Changes in atoms and the
nuclei of atoms can result in
electromagnetic waves being
generated or absorbed over a
wide frequency range. Gamma
rays originate from changes in
the nucleus of an atom.
Describe how electromagnetic
waves are generated by X-ray
machines.
X-rays and gamma rays can
have hazardous effects on
human body tissue. The effects
depend on the type of radiation
and the size of the dose.
Radiation dose (in Sieverts) is a
measure of the damage caused
by the radiation in the body.
Students will not need to recall
the unit of radiation dose.
Describe the effects that gamma
and X-rays radiation have on the
body.
Pupils can recount their
experiences of X-rays and
suggest what precautions are
taken to reduce the risks for the
patient and the radiographer.
Describe gamma radiation as
being a type of electromagnetic
radiation emitted from the
nucleus of an unstable atom.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Examine X-rays (if available)
to highlight the images
produced show that X-rays
travel through soft tissue.
Show images of people
working in high radiation
areas (ie the Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear disaster) and
discuss the suits they are
wearing and why.
GCSE Physics
QB05.F.3C
GCSE Science
A
QPSB99.2.8A
Return to the original poster
on EM waves. Students can
add the uses and hazards of
X-rays and gamma rays to
the appropriate section.
6 of 9
Spec ref.
Summary of the
specification
content
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Suggested
timing
(hours)
Opportunities to develop scientific
communication skills
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities
and resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
1
6.3.2.3
6.3.2.4
The effects of
ultraviolet
radiation on the
body
Uses of
electromagnetic
waves
Ultra-violet waves can have
hazardous effects on human
body tissue. Ultra-violet waves
can cause skin to age
prematurely and increase the
risk of skin cancer. X-rays and
gamma rays are ionising
radiation that can cause
mutation of genes and cancer.
Electromagnetic waves have
many practical applications.
For example:
 radio waves – television and
radio (including Bluetooth)
 microwaves – satellite
Describe what the ‘safe’
radiation dose is and what units
it is measured in. Describe what
a radiation badge does.
Describe how ultraviolet
radiation from the sun can affect
the body and in particular the
skin.
Discuss sunbeds and tanning in
the sun. Examine data on skin
cancer and link to the increase
in overseas holidays.
1
Describe uses of each wave in
the electromagnetic spectrum
and discuss why it is used (ie
radio waves bounce off the
atmosphere, so no use for
sending signals to satellites).
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Demonstrate UV by shining a
UV light onto a bank note,
through tonic water or writing
a message using a security
marker and then holding a
UV light over the message.
Students may have
experience of UV makeup.
Investigate sun creams. Put
photosensitive beads or film
into slippery fish coated with
various SPF sun creams.
Shine UV light on for set
times and compare results.
Students can investigate the
materials that limit the
signals of Bluetooth or
mobile phone aerials
(aluminium foil, plastic, etc).
Return to the original poster
on EM waves. Students can
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7 of 9
Spec ref.
Summary of the
specification
content
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Suggested
timing
(hours)
Opportunities to develop scientific
communication skills
add the uses and hazards of
the final wave types to the
appropriate section.
communications, cooking food
 infrared – electrical heaters,
cooking food, infra-red
cameras
 visible light – fibre optic
communications
 ultraviolet – energy efficient
lamps, sun tanning
 X-rays – medical imaging and
treatments.
6.3.2.2
Reflection of
waves
Waves can be reflected at the
boundary between two different
materials.
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
1
Recap KS3 work on drawing ray
diagrams and the importance of
the normal as a tool for
measuring angles.
Demonstrate Pepper’s ghost.
Construct labelled ray diagrams
to illustrate the reflection of a
wave at a surface.
Students plot the line of
reflection on a plane mirror
using a map pin for the
object and ray boxes to shine
light onto plane mirrors.
Extend the lines of reflection
behind the mirror to find the
mirror image. Measuring this
distance demonstrates the
equal distances in front and
State the law of reflection.
Describe where reflection of
sound occurs and why acoustic
rooms tend to have dampening
materials on the walls and floor.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Naked Scientist – Pepper
Ghost Practical
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities
and resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
QP13S.1F.02
QP10SY1F02
QP07W.1F.01
QP07W.1F.03
QK13S6F10
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QPM98F1.17
QPM99F1.11
QK13S6F09
QP13S.1F03
QPSP.1F.04
8 of 9
Spec ref.
Summary of the
specification
content
Learning outcomes
What most candidates should be
able to do
Suggested
timing
(hours)
Opportunities to develop scientific
communication skills
Opportunities to develop and
apply practical and enquiry
skills
Self/peer
assessment
Opportunities
and resources
Reference to past
questions that
indicate success
behind the mirror.
6.3.2.2
Refraction of
waves
Waves can be absorbed or
transmitted at the boundary
between two different materials.
1
Describe the effect of a wave
moving from one medium into
another.
Construct ray diagrams to
illustrate the refraction of a wave
entering and leaving a glass
block.
Describe why at night refraction
of sound leads to sounds being
heard from further away than
daytime.
AQA Education (AQA) is a registered charity (number 1073334) and a company limited by guarantee registered in
England and Wales (number 3644723). Our registered address is AQA, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX.
Illustrate the inversion of
objects in mirror images by
asking students to face each
other and mimic each other
when raising left and right
hands. The ‘mirror image
pupil’ will be raising the
opposite hand to the ‘object
pupil’.
Demonstrate refraction using
a Pyrex test tube in a beaker
of glycerine (or baby oil).
Both materials bend light at
similar angles so the test
tube becomes ‘invisible’.
Demonstrate refraction of
light using a pencil in a glass
of water.
Use a ray box and
rectangular prisms to
measure angles of incidence
and refraction.
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