Waves
Waves
CHAPTER-15 WAVES
Wave: A Wave is a sort of disturbance which transmits energy and momentum in a medium
without transfer of particle.
Ex: Sound waves, light waves, waves of water, matter waves etc.
Wave motion: The propagation of disturbance from one point to another point is called wave
motion.
(ii) Electromagnetic waves: Waves which do not require a material medium for their propagation
are called mechanical waves.
Ex: Light waves, X-rays, micro waves etc.
(iii) Matter waves: Waves associated with moving material particles are called matter waves.
Louis de Broglie theoretically suggested that a moving matter such as electron, proton, neutron,
atoms or molecules is associated with matter waves.
Characteristics:
1) They contain alternate crests and troughs.
2) Crests are the elevations formed in the medium and troughs are the depression formed in a
medium.
3) Transverse waves are either mechanical or electromagnetic.
4) They can travel only in solids, if waves are mechanical.
(ii) Longitudinal waves: If the oscillations/vibrations in the medium are along or parallel to the
direction of wave propagation, then the waves are called transverse waves.
Ex: Sound waves, pressure waves, Seismic P-waves etc.
Characteristics:
1) They contain alternate compressions and rarefactions.
2) Compressions are the portion of the medium having more density and rarefactions are the
portions of the medium having less density.
3) They are always mechanical.
4) They can travel in solids, liquids and gases.
Progressive wave: A wave which travels from one point to another point of the medium in the
same direction without change in its amplitude is known as a progressive wave.
Progressive wave equation: An equation that gives the displacement of a particle in a medium at
any point, at any instant of time is called a progressive wave equation.
A sinusoidal wave is represented by the equation, 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝑎 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙)
𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = Displacement of the particle
𝑎 = Amplitude of the wave
𝑘 = Angular wave number or propagation constant
𝜔 = angular frequency of wave
𝜙 = initial phase angle
Note: When a wave enters from one medium to another, both speed and wavelength change but
the frequency remain unchanged.
Reflection of waves: When a wave travelling in a medium, meets a rigid boundary, it gets
returned to the same medium is called reflection of wave.
The reflected wave has same shape as the incident wave, but it suffers a phase change of 𝜋 or 180
Standing waves or Stationary wave: When two waves of equal amplitude and wavelength
travelling along a line in opposite direction and superimpose the resulting wave pattern is called a
stationary wave of standing wave.
Ex: (i) Stationary waves produced in the closed and open pipe.
(ii) Stationary waves produced in the vibrating string.
Nodes: At some positions in the wave, the amplitude of the particles are zero, these points are
called Nodes.
Antinodes: At some points in a wave, the amplitude of the particles are maximum or the particles
vibrate with maximum amplitude, these points are called antinodes.
Normal Modes: In a stationary wave, the possible frequencies of oscillation of the system is
characterised by set of natural frequencies called Normal modes.
Modes of vibration in a closed pipe: A closed pipe is one in which one end is closed and other is
opened. Inside a closed pipe,
(i) Open end always has an antinode, because open end have maximum freedom to vibrate.
(ii) Closed end always has a node, because closed end are not free.
(iii) Frequency of vibration of air column depends on (a) length of pipe and (b) mode of vibration.
First mode of vibration: If the air column consists of single node and a single antinode, the mode
of vibration is called first mode of vibration or Fundamental mode.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
𝜆
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 = 4𝐿
4
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = =
𝜆 4𝐿
𝑓 is called fundamental frequency and this is the minimum frequency.
Second mode of vibration: In second mode of vibration two modes and two antinodes are formed.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
3𝜆 4𝐿
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 =
4 3
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = = 3 = 3𝑓
𝜆 4𝐿
Third mode of vibration: In this type of vibration three nodes and three antinodes are formed.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
5𝜆 5𝐿
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 =
4 3
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = = 5 = 5𝑓
𝜆 4𝐿
Now, 𝒇𝟏 : 𝒇𝟐 : 𝒇𝟑 = 𝟏: 𝟑: 𝟓, hence Only odd harmonics are present.
Modes of vibration in Open pipe: A pipe opened at both ends is called open pipe. In open pipe
antinodes are always formed at the open ends.
First mode of vibration: If the air column vibrate such that the entire air column consists of a
single node and two antinodes, the mode of vibration is called first mode of vibration of
fundamental mode.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
𝜆
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 = 2𝐿
2
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = =
𝜆 2𝐿
𝑓 is called fundamental frequency and this is the minimum frequency.
Second mode of vibration: This mode of vibration consists of two nodes and three antinodes.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
𝐿=𝜆
𝑣 𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = = =2 = 2𝑓
𝜆 𝐿 2𝐿
Third mode of vibration: This mode of vibration consists of three nodes and four antinodes.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
3𝜆 2𝐿
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 =
2 3
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = = 3 = 3𝑓
𝜆 2𝐿
Now, 𝒇𝟏 : 𝒇𝟐 : 𝒇𝟑 = 𝟏: 𝟐: 𝟑, hence both even and odd harmonics are present.
Standing waves in stretched string: In a stretched string node are always formed at the fixed ends.
First mode of vibration: Two nodes and a single antinode are formed.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
𝜆
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 = 2𝐿
2
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = =
𝜆 2𝐿
𝑓 is called fundamental frequency and this is the minimum frequency.
Third mode of vibration: This mode of vibration consists of four nodes and three antinodes.
If 𝜆 is the wavelength and 𝐿 is the length of the pipe, then
3𝜆 2𝐿
𝐿= ⇒ 𝜆 =
2 3
𝑣 𝑣
𝑓 = = 3 = 3𝑓
𝜆 2𝐿
(1) Law of length: Frequency of vibrating string is inversely proportional to length of the string.
1
𝑓∝
𝐿
(2) Law of tension: Frequency of vibrating string is directly proportional to square root of the
tension in the string.
𝑓 ∝ √𝑇
(3) Law of mass: Frequency of vibrating string is inversely proportional to square root of the mass
per unit length of the string.
1
𝑓∝
√𝜇
Doppler Effect: The apparent change in the frequency of source due to relative motion between
the source and the observer is called Doppler Effect.
Suggested questions.
One mark.
1) Define the amplitude of a wave.
2) State the principle superposition of waves.
3) What are standing waves?
4) When the beats are formed?
5) Mention any one application of beats.
Two marks.
1) Discuss the types of waves based on vibration of the particles in a medium.
2) A wave travelling in a medium having the frequency 2.53 𝑘𝐻𝑧. and wave length of 2 𝑚. Find
the velocity of the wave?
3) What are nodes and antinodes?
4) What harmonics are present in (a) an open pipe (b) a closed pipe?
5) What is Doppler Effect? Mention its application.
Three marks.
1) Define the terms (i) Wave amplitude (ii) Wave period (iii) Wave frequency.
2) Discuss the types of waves based on the wave propagation in a medium.
3) Give the Newton’s formula for the speed of sound in air and hence explain the Laplace’s
correction.
4) Discus the modes of vibrations in closed pipe.
5) Discus the modes of vibrations in open pipe.
6) State the Laws of vibration in a stretched string.
Five marks.
1) Give any five differences between progressive waves and stationary waves?
2) What are stationary waves? Show that the frequency of vibration of stretched string contains
all harmonics.
3) Derive the expression for beat frequency.
Numerical Problems.
1) A train standing at the outer signal of a railway station blows a whistle of frequency 400𝐻𝑧 in
still air. What is the frequency of the whistle for a platform observer when the train (a)
approaches the platform with a speed of 10 𝑚 𝑠 . (b) Recedes from the platform with the
speed of 10 𝑚 𝑠 . (c) What is the speed of sound in each case? (The speed of the sound in still
air= 340 𝑚 𝑠 )
2) A train is moving with a speed of 10 𝑚 𝑠 , blowing a whistle of frequency 300 𝐻𝑧 in still air.
What is the frequency of the whistle as heard by a stationary observer on a platform when (i)
train approaches and (ii) recedes from the observer? (Speed of the sound in still air =
340 𝑚 𝑠 )
3) The equation of a sinusoidal wave travelling along negative x-axis is 𝑦 = 0.4 sin 10𝜋 (3𝑡 + 2𝑥)
where 𝑥 and 𝑦 are in metres and 𝑡 is in seconds. Calculate the amplitude, wave length,
frequency and wave velocity.
4) A wave travelling along a string is given by 𝑦 = (𝑥, 𝑡) = 0.005 sin(80.0 𝑥 − 3.0 𝑡) where SI
units are used. Calculate: (a) The amplitude (b) The wavelength (c) The period (d) The
frequency.
5) A string of mass 2.5 𝑘𝑔 is under a tension of 200 𝑁. The length of a stretched string is 20 𝑚. If
transverse jerk is struck at one end of the string, how long does the disturbance take to reach
the other end?
6) A policeman blows a whistle of frequency 300 𝐻𝑧, as a car speeds fast him with a velocity of
36 𝑘𝑚𝑝ℎ. Find the change in frequency as heard by the driver of the car, just as he passes the
policeman. (Velocity of sound is 345 𝑚 𝑠 )
7) When a simple harmonic wave is propagated through a medium, the displacement of a
particle (in metre) at any instant of time is given by 𝑦 = 0.03 sin 𝜋 − with lengths
. .
expressed in metre and time in second. Calculate the wavelength, amplitude, frequency and
velocity of the wave.
8) The apparent frequency of a note when listener moves towards a stationary source with
velocity 40 𝑚/𝑠 is 200 𝐻𝑧. When he moves away from the same source with same speed the
apparent frequency of note is 160 𝐻𝑧. Calculate velocity of sound in air.
9) A train is moving at speed of 72𝑘𝑚𝑝ℎ towards a station, is sounding a whistle of frequency
600𝐻𝑧. What are the apparent frequencies of the whistle as heard by a man on the plot form
when the train a) approaches him b)recedes from him?(speed of sound in air = 340𝑚/𝑠)