Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
For the wave described in Exercise 15.8, plot the displacement (y) versus (t) graphs for x = 0, 2 and 4 cm. What are the shapes of these graphs? In which aspects does the oscillatory motion in travelling wave differ from one point to another: amplitude, frequency or phase?
Advertisements
Solution 1
All the waves have different phases.
The given transverse harmonic wave is:
`y (x,t)= 3.0 sin (36t + 0.018x + pi/4)` ...(i)
For x = 0, the equation reduces to:
`y (0,t) = 3.0 sin (36t + pi/4)`
Also, `omega = (2pi)/T = 36 " rad/s"^(-1)`
`:. T = pi/8 s`
Now, plotting y vs. t graphs using the different values of t, as listed in the given table.
| t(s) | 0 | T/8 | 2T/8 | 3T/8 | 4T/8 | 5T/8 | 6T/8 | 7T/8 |
| y(cm) | `(3sqrt2)/2` | 3 | `(3sqrt2)/2` | 0 | `(-3sqrt2)/2` | -3 | `(-3sqrt2)/2` | 0 |
For x = 0, x = 2, and x = 4, the phases of the three waves will get changed. This is because amplitude and frequency are invariant for any change in x. The y-t plots of the three waves are shown in the given figure.

Solution 2
The transverse harmonic wave is
`y(x,t) = 3.0 sin (36t + 0.018x + pi/4)`
for x = 0
`y(0,t) = 3 sin(36t + 0 + pi/4) = 3 sin (36t + pi/4)` ...1
Here `omega = (2pi)/T = 36 => T =(2pi)/36`
To plot a(y) versus (t) graph, different values of y corresponding to the values of t may be tabulated as under (by making use of equation 1)
| t(s) | 0 | T/8 | 2T/8 | 3T/8 | 4T/8 | 5T/8 | 6T/8 | 7T/8 | T |
| y(cm) | `(3sqrt2)/2` | 3 | `(3sqrt2)/2` | 0 | `(-3sqrt2)/2` | -3 | `(-3sqrt2)/2` | 0 | `3/sqrt2` |
Using the values of t and y (as in the table), a graph is plotted as under The graph obtained is sinusoidal.
Similar graphs are obtained for y x = 2 cm and x = 4 cm. The (incm) oscillatory motion in the travelling wave only differs in respect of phase. Amplitude and frequency of oscillatory motion remains the same in all the cases.

RELATED QUESTIONS
A sine wave is travelling in a medium. A particular particle has zero displacement at a certain instant. The particle closest to it having zero displacement is at a distance
Choose the correct option:
Which of the following equations represents a wave travelling along Y-axis?
Two sine waves travel in the same direction in a medium. The amplitude of each wave is A and the phase difference between the two waves is 120°. The resultant amplitude will be
A wave pulse is travelling on a string with a speed \[\nu\] towards the positive X-axis. The shape of the string at t = 0 is given by g(x) = Asin(x/a), where A and a are constants. (a) What are the dimensions of A and a ? (b) Write the equation of the wave for a general time t, if the wave speed is \[\nu\].
A wave propagates on a string in the positive x-direction at a velocity \[\nu\] \[t = t_0\] is given by \[g\left( x, t_0 \right) = A \sin \left( x/a \right)\]. Write the wave equation for a general time t.
The equation of a wave travelling on a string is:
\[y = \left( 0 \cdot 10 \text{ mm } \right) \sin\left[ \left( 31 \cdot 4 m^{- 1} \right)x + \left( 314 s^{- 1} \right)t \right]\]
- In which direction does the wave travel?
- Find the wave speed, the wavelength and the frequency of the wave.
- What is the maximum displacement and the maximum speed of a portion of the string?
A wave travelling on a string at a speed of 10 m s−1 causes each particle of the string to oscillate with a time period of 20 ms. (a) What is the wavelength of the wave? (b) If the displacement of a particle of 1⋅5 mm at a certain instant, what will be the displacement of a particle 10 cm away from it at the same instant?
A 200 Hz wave with amplitude 1 mm travels on a long string of linear mass density 6 g m−1 kept under a tension of 60 N. (a) Find the average power transmitted across a given point on the string. (b) Find the total energy associated with the wave in a 2⋅0 m long portion of the string.
Two waves, travelling in the same direction through the same region, have equal frequencies, wavelengths and amplitudes. If the amplitude of each wave is 4 mm and the phase difference between the waves is 90°, what is the resultant amplitude?
Following figure shows two wave pulses at t = 0 travelling on a string in opposite directions with the same wave speed 50 cm s−1. Sketch the shape of the string at t = 4 ms, 6 ms, 8 ms, and 12 ms.

A steel wire fixed at both ends has a fundamental frequency of 200 Hz. A person can hear sound of maximum frequency 14 kHz. What is the highest harmonic that can be played on this string which is audible to the person?
A man standing unsymmetrical position between two mountains and fires a gun. He hears the first echo after 1.5 s and the second echo after 2.5 s. If the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s, then the distance between the mountains will be ______
An organ pipe of length 0.4 m is open at both ends. The speed of sound in the air is 340 m/s. The fundamental frequency is ______
Use the formula `v = sqrt((gamma P)/rho)` to explain why the speed of sound in air is independent of pressure.
A bat emits an ultrasonic sound of frequency 1000 kHz in the air. If the sound meets a water surface, what is the wavelength of the the reflected sound? The speed of sound in air is 340 m s–1 and in water 1486 m s–1.
A sound wave is passing through air column in the form of compression and rarefaction. In consecutive compressions and rarefactions ______.
At what temperatures (in °C) will the speed of sound in air be 3 times its value at O°C?
An engine is approaching a cliff at a constant speed. When it is at a distance of 0.9 km from cliff it sounds a whistle. The echo of the sound is heard by the driver after 5 seconds. Velocity of sound in air is equal to 330 ms-1. The speed of the engine is ______ km/h.
The displacement y of a particle in a medium can be expressed as, y = `10^-6sin(100t + 20x + pi/4)` m where t is in second and x in meter. The speed of the wave is ______.
