Lesson 4.6.1.3

4.6.1.3 Reflection of waves (physics only) Quiz: AQA Physics, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 4.6.1.3, Reflection of waves (physics only): 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Physics (8463), Unit 6: Waves, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What three things can happen when a wave hits a material boundary?

    • Diffracted, absorbed, scattered
    • Reflected, refracted, dispersed
    • Refracted, diffracted, polarised
    • Reflected, absorbed, transmitted

  2. How does the angle of reflection compare to the angle of incidence?

    • Always half
    • Always double
    • Always zero
    • Always equal

  3. A wave hits a plane mirror with an angle of incidence of 30 degrees. What is the angle of reflection?

    • 60 degrees
    • 0 degrees
    • 15 degrees
    • 30 degrees

  4. Which effect turns wave energy into thermal energy at a boundary?

    • Diffraction
    • Transmission
    • Reflection
    • Absorption

  5. A window pane lets most light pass through but reflects a little. Which two effects occur?

    • Refraction and polarising
    • Transmission and reflection
    • Absorption and diffraction
    • Scattering and emission

  6. At what angle to the surface is the normal drawn in a ray diagram?

    • 0 degrees
    • 45 degrees
    • 90 degrees
    • 180 degrees

  7. What happens to a wave during transmission at a material boundary?

    • Converts to heat
    • Continues through
    • Stops completely
    • Bounces back

  8. Which equipment is used to measure angles in a reflection practical?

    • Protractor
    • Light gate
    • Metre rule
    • Oscilloscope

  9. A ray travels along the normal and hits a mirror. What is its angle of reflection?

    • 0 degrees
    • 90 degrees
    • 180 degrees
    • 45 degrees

  10. What does soundproofing foam mainly do to incident sound waves?

    • Absorbs them
    • Reflects them perfectly
    • Diffracts them
    • Amplifies them

  11. What changes when a wave is successfully reflected at a boundary?

    • Speed
    • Frequency
    • Wavelength
    • Direction of travel

  12. A ray hits a mirror at 40 degrees from the normal. What is the angle between the incident ray and the reflected ray?

    • 40 degrees
    • 80 degrees
    • 140 degrees
    • 50 degrees

  13. A wave is partly reflected and partly transmitted at a boundary. What is conserved?

    • Wave speed
    • Wave amplitude
    • Total energy
    • Wave frequency only

  14. Which tool would a student use to draw reflected rays accurately?

    • A thermometer and a magnet
    • A battery and a lamp
    • A ruler and stopwatch
    • A ruler and protractor

  15. A material that fully absorbs a wave with no transmission is called what?

    • Transparent
    • Translucent
    • Reflective
    • Opaque

  16. A ray meets a surface at 25 degrees to the surface. What is its angle to the normal?

    • 25 degrees
    • 155 degrees
    • 65 degrees
    • 90 degrees

  17. Why does light become dimmer when passing through a thick material?

    • Energy absorption
    • Diffraction spread
    • Wave reflection
    • Frequency increase

  18. An angle of incidence of 34 degrees gives a reflection angle of 36 degrees. Why?

    • Wave diffraction
    • Frequency shift
    • Measurement error
    • Angle refraction

  19. A metal sheet reflects a wave. Where does most of the wave energy go?

    • Converted to sound
    • Back into medium
    • Absorbed as heat
    • Transmitted through

  20. A wave strikes a boundary along the normal. Where does it reflect?

    • At 45 degrees
    • Straight back
    • At 90 degrees
    • It continues forward

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