General Physics I Chapter 14 Wave Motion

21. Find the (a) amplitude, (b) wavelength, (c) period, and (d) speed of wave whose displacement
is given by = 1.6(0.67 + 30), where and are in centimeters and in seconds. (e) In
which direction is the wave propagating?

Sol)

1 = ( )
2 2
Here, is the amplitude, = is the wave number, = is the angular frequency where

is the period.

(a) 1.6 cm

2 23.14
(b) = = = 9.37
0.67

2 23.14
(c) = = = 0.21
30

9.37
(d) = = = 44.6 /
0.21

(e) negative x-direction. (a plus sign in front of 0.67, and a plus sign in front of 30 again.)

39. When a stretched string is clamped at both ends, its fundamental frequency is 145 Hz. (a)
Whats the next higher frequency? If the same string, with the same tension, is now clamped at one
end and free at the other, what are (b) the fundamental and (c) the next higher frequency?

Sol)

1
f , , .

(a) 290 Hz

(b) 72.5 Hz

(c) 217.5 Hz

42. A car horn emits 361 Hz sound. If the car moves at 20 m/s with its horn blasting, what
frequency will a person standing in front of the car hear?

Sol) The car is approaching to the person. The speed of sound is 343 m/s.

361
= = = 383
1 1 20343

53. Two waves have the same angular frequency , wave number , and amplitude , but they
differ in phase: 1 = ( ) and 2 = ( + ). Show that their superposition is
also a simple harmonic wave, and determine its amplitude as a function of the phase difference .

Sol)

+
cosX + cosY = 2cos( )cos( )
2 2
1 + 2 = ( ) + ( + )

= 2Acos ( ) cos ( + )
2 2

A cos ( + )
2

Thus the superposition of those waves is also a simple harmonic wave, with A its amplitude.

A = 2Acos ( )
2

70. Show by differentiation and substitution that any function of the form = ( ) satisfies
2 1 2
the wave equation, =
2 2
Sol)

= 1, =

= ( ) = =

2 2 2
2
= = =
2 2

= ( ) = =

2 2
2
= = 2
= 2

2 1 2
=
2 2