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)
Eigen values, Eigen functions, and Eigen frequencies

After first boundary condition

A = 0 and y(x, t) = B sin kx (C cos ωt + D sin ωt )
After second boundary condition
y(x, t) = B sin kx (C cos ωt + D sin ωt ) with k = nπ/l

Eigen values: k = nπ/l; n = 1, 2, 3, ….

Eigen function: sin kx = sin nπx/l
Eigen frequencies: ωn = nπc/l; n = 1, 2, 3, ….
A Vibrating string represents a stationary wave

y = y1 sin (ω t + kx) + y2 sin (ω t – kx)

Energy of the vibrating string

-
Kinetic energy
Potential energy
ds
The potential energy associated with an element dx of the 𝜕y
string is equal to the work done in stretching this element to
the length ds. dx
ds2 = dx2 + 𝜕y2 = [1+(𝜕y/𝜕x)2] dx2
ds =[1+(𝜕y/𝜕x)2]1/2 dx

So, the work done is

Now
Total Energy
A standing-wave pattern is observed in a thin wire with a length of 3.00 m. The
equation of the wave is y = (0.002m) sin(πx) cos(100πt) where x is in meters and t
is in seconds.

(a) Find out the wave velocity and how many loops does this pattern exhibit?
(Ans: 3 loops;100ms-1)

(b) What is the fundamental frequency of vibration of the wire? (Ans: 16.7 Hz)

(c) What If? If the original frequency is held constant and the tension in the wire is
increased by a factor of 9, how many loops are present in the new pattern?
(Ans: 1 loop)
Two wires are welded together end to end. The wires are made of the same material,
but the diameter of one is twice that of the other. They are subjected to a tension of
4.60 N. The thin wire has a length of 40.0 cm and a linear mass density of 2.00 g/m.
The combination is fixed at both ends and vibrated in such a way that two antinodes
are present, with the node between them being right at the weld.

(a) What is the frequency of vibration? (Ans: 59.9 Hz)

(b) How long is the thick wire? (Ans: 20.0 cm)

Two sinusoidal waves, moving in the same direction along a stretched string,
interfere with each other. The amplitude of each wave is 9.8 mm, and the phase
difference between them is 100degree.

(a) What is the amplitude of the resultant wave due to the resultant of these two
wave ?
(Ans: 13 mm)
A simple harmonic oscillator at the point x=0 generates a wave on a string. The
oscillator operates at a frequency of 40 Hz and an amplitude of 3cm. The rope has
a linear mass density of 50 g/m and is stretched with a tension of 5 N.
a) Determine the speed of the wave (Ans: v = 10 m/s )
b) Find the wavelength (Ans: λ = 0.25 m)
c) Write the wave function y(x,t) for the wave. Assume that the oscillator has it’s
maximum upward displacement at t= 0.
(Ans: y(x,t) = 0.03 Cos [2π ( x – 10 t)/ 0.25]
d) Find the maximum transverse acceleration of points on the string.
(Ans: 1895 m/s2 )
e) Given your answer to part d) is it reasonable to ignore the effects of gravity?
(Ans: Yes !, since [δ2y/δt2]max >> g )