UG Physics PH1101

Dr. Abhijit Bisoi

Department of Physics
IIEST Shibpur
Ph: 9830629051
 Syllabus

• Waves: (a) Differential equation of plane waves and its harmonic solution, wave group
and group velocity (taking a group of two waves).
• (b) differential equation of transverse wave and its velocity along a stretched string,
solution of the equation by separation of variables, application to stretched string
rigidly fixed at two ends, vibrating string as stationary wave, the eigen values, eigen
functions and eigen frequencies, energy of vibrating string.

Reference Books:
1. D. P. Raychaudhuri - Advanced Acoustics, The New Book Stall, (1980)
 Wave
A wave is a disturbance moving through a medium.
Inertia and elasticity of the medium

Vibration of string
Electromagnetic wave
Sound wave
X-ray
Gamma ray
 Wave of different kind

Longitudinal wave

Example: Sound wave

Transverse wave

Example: Vibration of string

 Characteristic of a periodic wave of constant type

Time displacement curve Space displacement curve or wave form

Time displacement curve Space displacement curve

Displacement

Displacement
Time Position
x1, t1 x2, t2
Concept of phase velocity
Displacement

Vp = (x2-x1) / (t2-t1)

Position
 Wave front
A surface at all points of which the phase of the particles is same at any instant is called
a wave front.
 Analytical representation of a plan progressive wave

Ψ = wave field parameter

ΨX,0 = f(X) = f (x-ct) = Ψx,t

Any function of (x-ct) or (ct-x) represents a plane progressive wave moving in the positive
direction.

(ct+x) for the negative direction

Differential wave equation for a plane wave in one dimension
The Plane harmonic wave
 Stationary or standing waves

When two progressive waves of same frequency moving in the opposite

direction in a medium are superimposed. It produced Stationary or standing
waves.

This type of motion occurs when the medium is limited in extent.

The outgoing waves are reflected at the boundary, and the incident and
reflected wave system by their superimposition form the stationary wave
pattern. 0.6

0.3

Displacement
Y1= 5*sin(30*20 - 0.001*x)
+5*sin(30*20 + 0.001*x) 0.0

Y2= 5*sin(30*20.1047 - 0.001*x)

-0.3
+5*sin(30*20.1047 + 0.001*x)

-0.6
5000 10000
Position
Waves of equal amplitude
Node position Positions where the amplitude of displacement is zero, are called
displacement nodes

0.6

0.3
Displacement

0.0

N N
-0.3

-0.6
5000 10000
Position
Antinode position Positions where the amplitude of displacement is maximum, are
called displacement antinodes.
Amplitude: 2a cos kx
When cos kx = ± 1, the amplitude is a maximum and has the value 2a.
For this, we must have

Distance between two

successive nodes or antinodes 0.6
is λ/2. A A A
Distance between a node 0.3
and its nearest antinode is λ/4.
Displacement

The section between two 0.0

neighboring nodes is called
loop. N
-0.3
N
Neighboring loops are
vibrating in the opposite
phase. -0.6
5000 10000
Position
 Effect of sinωt ω k

Y1= 5*sin(30*t - 0.001*x) + 5*sin(30*t +0.001*x)

t=1.727 t=1.7801 t=1.8318 t=1.8848

15

10
Displacement

-5

-10

-15

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Position
Waves of different amplitude
 ω k

Y1= 10*sin(30*t - 0.001*x) + 5*sin(30*t +0.001*x)

t=1.727 t=1.7801 t=1.8318 t=1.8848

15

10
Displacement

-5

-10

-15

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Position
Two sinusoidal waves combining in a medium are described by the wave functions
y1 = (3.0cm) sin π(x + 0.60t) and y2 = (3.0cm) sin π(x - 0.60t) where x is in
centimetres and t is in seconds.
Determine the maximum transverse position of an element of the medium at
(a) x = 0.250 cm,
(b) x = 0.500 cm,
(c) x = 1.50 cm.
(d) Find the three smallest values of x corresponding to antinodes.
Standing waves on a wire are described by y(x,t) = A Sin(kx)Sin(ωt) with A = 2.5
mm, ω = 942 rad/s, and k = 0.75π rad/m. The left hand end of the wire is at x=0.

At what distances from the left hand end are

a) The nodes of the standing wave?

a) The antinodes of the standing wave?

 Wave group and group velocity
When wave of different but close together frequencies, moving in the same direction, are
superimposed. Then the superimposed pattern is called wave group.
The velocity of the wave group is called group velocity.

Mathematical expression for group velocity

y1=a sin (ωt - kx) and y2=a sin {(ω+dω)t - (k+dk)x}

 t

10
y

-10

0 25 50 75 100 125
x
 R

Relation between group and phase velocity: