Chapter 13

Mechanical Waves

F I G U R E 13.1 A pulse traveling down

a stretched rope. The shape of the pulse
is approximately unchanged as it travels
along the rope .
 P

F I G U R E 13.2 A pulse traveling on a

stretched rope is a transverse distur-
bance. That is, any element of the
rope, such as that at P, moves (blue -
arrows) in a direction perpendicular to
the propagation of the pulse (red
arrows).
 Compressed

F I G U R E 13.3
A longitudinal pulse along a stretched spring. The displacement of the coils is in the direction of the wave
motion. The compressed region moves to the right along the spring.
 y y

v vt v

P
A

P
O x O x

(a) Pulse at t = 0 (b) Pulse at time t

F I G U R E 13.4
A one-dimensional pulse traveling to the right with a speed v. (a) At t 0, the shape of the pulse is given by
y f(x). (b) At some later time t, the shape remains unchanged and the vertical position of any element of the medium is
given by y f(x vt).
 y (cm)

2.0 3.0 cm/s

1.5
t=0
1.0
y(x, 0)
0.5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 x (cm)
(a)

y (cm)

2.0 3.0 cm/s

1.5
t = 1.0 s
1.0
y(x, 1.0)
0.5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 x (cm)
(b)

y (cm)
3.0 cm/s
2.0
t = 2.0 s
1.5

1.0 y(x, 2.0)

0.5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 x (cm)
(c)
F I G U R E 13.5 (Example 13.1) Graphs of the function
y(x, t) 2.0/[(x 3.0t)2 1] at (a) t 0, (b) t 1.0
s, and (c) t 2.0 s.
 y

A
x

(a)
y

A
t

(b)

Figure 13.6
(a) A graph of the y position of
elements of a medium versus x
position, measured along the length
of the medium. The wavelength of a
wave is the distance between adjacent
crests or adjacent troughs. (b) A graph
of the y position of one element of the
medium as a function of time. The
period T of the wave is the same as the
time interval required for the element
to complete one oscillation.

A P
P
Figure 13.7

(a) Vibrating (b) One method for producing a

blade sinusoidal wave on a continuous
string. The left end of the string is
connected to a blade that is set
into vibration. Every element of
P
the string, such as the one at
point P, oscillates with simple
P harmonic motion in the vertical
(c) (d) direction.
 y
vt
v

t=0 t

Figure 13.8
A one-dimensional sinusoidal wave
traveling to the right with a speed v.
The brown curve represents a
snapshot of the wave at t 0, and the
blue curve represents a snapshot at
some later time t.
 y (cm)
40.0 cm

15.0 cm
x (cm)

F I G U R E 13.9(Example 13.2) A
sinusoidal wave of wavelength
40.0 cm and amplitude
A 15.0 cm. The wave function
can be written in the form y A
cos(kx t).
 ∆s

O
(a)

v
∆s
θ θ

T T
R
θ

(b)
F I G U R E 13.10 (a) To obtain the
speed v of a wave on a stretched
string, it is convenient to describe the
motion of a small element of the
string in a moving frame of reference.
(b) The horizontal components of
:
the force T on a small element of
length s cancel. The radial
components add, so there is a net
force in the radial direction.
 5.00 m

1.00 m

2.00 kg

F I G U R E 13.11 (Example 13.4) The

tension T in the cord is maintained by the
suspended object. The wave speed is given
by the expression v √T/ .
 Incident
pulse

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e) Reflected
pulse

F I G U R E 13.12 The reflection of a

traveling pulse at the fixed end of a
stretched string. The reflected pulse
is inverted, but its shape remains the
same.

Incident
pulse

(a)

(b)

(c)
Reflected
pulse

(d)

F I G U R E 13.13 The reflection of a

traveling pulse at the free end of a
stretched string. In this case, the
reflected pulse is not inverted.
 Incident
pulse
Incident
pulse
(a)

Transmitted (a)
pulse
Reflected Transmitted
pulse pulse
Reflected
pulse
(b) (b)

Figure 13.14 Figure 13.15

(a) A pulse traveling to the right on a light string attached (a) A pulse traveling to the right on a heavy string
to a heavier string. (b) Part of the incident pulse is attached to a lighter string. (b) The incident pulse is
reflected (and inverted), and part is transmitted to the partially reflected and partially transmitted. In this case,
heavier string. the reflected pulse is not inverted.
 m

(a)
∆m

m
F I G U R E 13.17 A sinusoidal wave traveling along the x axis
on a stretched string. Every element, such as the one labeled
(b)
with its mass m, moves vertically, and each element has the
same total energy. The average power transmitted by the F I G U R E 13.16 (a) A pulse traveling
wave equals the energy contained in one wavelength divided to the right on a stretched string on
by the period of the wave. which an object has been suspended.
(b) Energy is transmitted to the
suspended object when the pulse
arrives.
 Undisturbed gas

(a)

Compressed region

(b)

(c)

(d)

F I G U R E 13.18 A longitudinal wave

propagating along a tube filled with a
compressible gas. The source of the
wave is a vibrating piston at the left.
The high- and low-pressure regions are
dark and light, respectively.
 s

smax

(a)

∆P

∆Pmax

(b)

F I G U R E 13.19 (a) Displacement versus

position and (b) pressure versus
position for a sinusoidal longitudinal
wave. The displacement wave is 90° out
of phase with the pressure wave.
(a)

v waves

(b) v boat

v waves

(c) v boat

v waves
F I G U R E 13.20 (a) Waves
moving toward a stationary
boat. The waves travel to the
left and their source is far to
the right of the boat, out of
the frame of the drawing.
(b) The boat moving toward
the wave source. (c) The boat
moving away from the wave
source.
 O
S
×
Figure 13.21
An observer O (the cyclist) moving with a speed vO
vO toward a stationary point source S, the horn of a
parked car. The observer hears a frequency f that is
greater than the source frequency.
(Courtesy of the Educational Development Center,

B
Observer B
S
λλ′
A C
vS Observer A
Newton, MA)

(a) (b)

Figure 13.22
(a) A source S moving with a speed vS toward a stationary observer A and away from a stationary observer B. Observer A hears
an increased frequency, and observer B hears a decreased frequency. (b) The Doppler effect in water observed in a ripple
tank. The vibrating source is moving to the right. Letters shown in the photo refer to Quick Quiz 13.5.
 3L/4

L/2 L/2

Figure P13.16
Figure P13.26 Problem 13.26
(Joe McDonald/Visuals Unlimited)
k m

Figure P13.36