2016, Question 5 · Short free-response · 7 points · about 13 minutes
Standing wave on a hanging rope
Explain why the tension is larger higher up a hanging rope, then argue in a paragraph how the standing wave pattern shows that more tension means faster waves.
This exam had five free-response questions in 90 minutes: Questions 1, 4 and 5 were short questions worth 7 points each with about 13 minutes suggested, and Questions 2 and 3 were long questions worth 12 points each with about 25 minutes suggested. The current exam has 4 free-response questions in 95 minutes. The skills these questions practice still count.
Not in the current course. Part (b) asks about wave speed and standing waves, which the current course no longer includes mechanical waves and sound.
Lessons this question draws on
1 Read the question
The question is College Board's, from the 2016 exam. It starts on page 10 of the PDF. College Board no longer posts this exam, so it opens from the copy of College Board's PDF that the Internet Archive saved on November 15, 2025.
Open Question 5 (PDF, page 10)
2 Write your answer
Answer each part the way you would on the exam, in full sentences, with your work shown. Your writing saves as you type.
3 Score it
Score your answer against College Board's scoring guidelines, one point at a time. Give yourself a point only when your answer says what the guideline asks for.
Scoring guidelines (PDF, page 11) What the exam readers saw (Student Performance Q&A)
Question, scoring guidelines and Chief Reader report: College Board, from the Internet Archive. The title, summary are ours.