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Boundary Behavior

When a sound wave reaches the boundary between two different media, it can undergo several behaviors: reflection, where the wave bounces off the boundary; transmission, where the wave crosses into the new medium; and refraction, where the wave changes speed and direction upon entering the new medium. The amount of reflection versus transmission depends on how similar the properties of the two media are - more similar media result in more transmission and less reflection. Reflection of sound waves is important for the functioning of musical instruments and the design of performance spaces.

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Leon Mathaios
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64 views

Boundary Behavior

When a sound wave reaches the boundary between two different media, it can undergo several behaviors: reflection, where the wave bounces off the boundary; transmission, where the wave crosses into the new medium; and refraction, where the wave changes speed and direction upon entering the new medium. The amount of reflection versus transmission depends on how similar the properties of the two media are - more similar media result in more transmission and less reflection. Reflection of sound waves is important for the functioning of musical instruments and the design of performance spaces.

Uploaded by

Leon Mathaios
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3/6/2017 BoundaryBehavior

BoundaryBehavior
InterferenceandBeats
TheDopplerEffectandShockWaves
BoundaryBehavior
Reflection,Refraction,andDiffraction

Asasoundwavetravelsthroughamedium,itwilloftenreachtheendofthemediumandencounteran
obstacleorperhapsanothermediumthroughwhichitcouldtravel.Whenonemediumends,another
mediumbeginstheinterfaceofthetwomediaisreferredtoastheboundaryandthebehaviorofa
waveatthatboundaryisdescribedasitsboundarybehavior.Thebehaviorofawave(orpulse)upon
reachingtheendofamediumisreferredtoasboundarybehavior.Thereareessentiallyfourpossible
behaviorsthatawavecouldexhibitataboundary:reflection(thebouncingoffoftheboundary),
diffraction(thebendingaroundtheobstaclewithoutcrossingovertheboundary),transmission(the
crossingoftheboundaryintothenewmaterialorobstacle),andrefraction(occursalongwith
transmissionandischaracterizedbythesubsequentchangeinspeedanddirection).Inthispartof
Lesson3,thefocuswillbeuponthereflectionbehaviorofsoundwaves.LaterinLesson3,diffraction,
transmission,andrefractionwillbediscussedinmoredetail.
InUnit10ofThePhysicsClassroom,theboundarybehaviorofapulseonaropewasdiscussed.Inthat
unit,itwasmentionedthattherearetwotypesofreflectionforwaves
onropes:fixedendreflectionandfreeendreflection.Apulsemoving
througharopewilleventuallyreachitsend.Uponreachingtheendof
themedium,twothingsoccur:
Aportionoftheenergycarriedbythepulseisreflectedand
returnstowardstheleftendoftherope.Thedisturbancethatreturnstotheleftisknownas
thereflectedpulse.
Aportionoftheenergycarriedbythepulseistransmittedintothenewmedium.Iftheropeis
attachedtoapole(asshownattheright),thepolewillreceivesomeoftheenergyandbeginto
vibrate.Iftheropeisnotattachedtoapolebutratherrestingontheground,thenaportionofthe
energyistransmittedintotheair(thenewmedium),causingslightdisturbancesoftheairparticles.

Theamountofenergythatbecomesreflectedisdependentuponthedissimilarityofthetwomedia.The
moresimilarthatthetwomediaoneachsideoftheboundaryare,thelessreflectionthatoccursand
themoretransmissionthatoccurs.Conversely,thelesssimilarthatthetwomediaoneachsideofthe
boundaryare,themorereflectionthatoccursandthelesstransmissionthatoccurs.Soifaheavyrope
isattachedtoalightrope(twoverydissimilarmedia),littletransmissionandmostlyreflectionoccurs.
Andifaheavyropeisattachedtoanotherheavyrope(twoverysimilarmedia),littlereflectionand
mostlytransmissionoccurs.

Themoresimilarthemedium,themoretransmissionthatoccurs.


Theseprinciplesofreflectioncanbeappliedtosoundwaves.Thoughasoundwavedoesnotconsistof
crestsandtroughs,theydoconsistofcompressionsandrarefactions.Ifasoundwaveistraveling 1/2
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson3/BoundaryBehavior
throughacylindricaltube,itwilleventuallycometotheendofthetube.Theendofthetuberepresents
3/6/2017 BoundaryBehavior

aboundarybetweentheenclosedairinthetubeandtheexpanseofairoutsideofthetube.Upon
reachingtheendofthetube,thesoundwavewillundergopartialreflectionandpartialtransmission.
Thatis,aportionoftheenergycarriedbythesoundwavewillpassacrosstheboundaryandoutofthe
tube(transmission)andaportionoftheenergycarriedbythesoundwavewillreflectofftheboundary,
remaininthetubeandtravelintheoppositedirection(reflection).Thereflectedpulseofftheendofthe
tubecantheninterferewithanysubsequentincidentpulsesthataretravelingintheoppositedirection.
Ifthedisturbanceswithinthetubearetheresultofperpetualwavesofaconstantfrequency,then
interferencebetweentheincidentandreflectedwaveswilloccuralongthelengthofthetube.The
reflectionbehaviorofsoundwavesandthesubsequentinterferencethatoccurswillbecomeimportant
inLesson5duringthediscussionofmusicalinstruments.Manymusicalinstrumentsoperateasthe
resultofsoundwavestravelingbackandforthinsideof"tubes"oraircolumns.
Thereflectionofsoundalsobecomesimportanttothedesignofconcerthallsandauditoriums.The
acousticsofsoundmustbeconsideredinthedesignofsuchbuildings.Themostimportant
considerationsincludedestructiveinterferenceandreverberations,bothofwhicharetheresultof
reflectionsofsoundoffthewallsandceilings.Designersattempttoreducetheseverityofthese
problemsbyusingbuildingmaterialsthatreducetheamountofreflectionandenhancetheamountof
transmission(orabsorption)intothewallsandceilings.Themostreflectivematerialsarethosethatare
smoothandhardsuchmaterialsareverydissimilartoairandthusreducetheamountoftransmission
andincreasetheamountofreflection.Thebestmaterialstouseinthedesignofconcerthallsand
auditoriumsarethosematerialsthataresoft.Forthisreason,fiberglassandacoustictileareusedin
suchbuildingsratherthancementandbrick.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson3/BoundaryBehavior 2/2

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