WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION

1.THEPRINCIPLEOFSUPERPOSITIONOFWAVES
2

WaveEquationisgivenas

d y
2 d y
( 2 ) =v ( 2 )
dt x
dx t

(1.1)

Now,ify1(x,t)isasolutionofaboveequation(thesolutionoftheabove
equationgivesthedisplacementoftheparticleofthemedium)andlety2(x,t)
isalsoasolutionofthesameequationatsamepointthan,

y(x,t)=cy1(x,t)+by2(x,t)isalsoasolutionofsameequation.wherecandb
calculatedaccordingtwotheirphase.Andwhatwillbethevalueofy(x,t)
dependonrelativephaseoftwowave.y(x,t)>(y1(x,t)andy2(x,t))iftwowave
areinphaseandy(x,t)<(y1(x,t)andy2(x,t))iftheyareoutofphase.
Physicallyitmean,Theprincipleofsuperpositionappliedtowaves
whenevertwo(ormore)wavestravellingthroughthesamemediumatthe
sametime.Thewavespassthrougheachotherwithoutbeingdisturbed.The
netdisplacementofthemediumatanypointinspaceortime,issimplythe
sumoftheindividualwavedisplacements.
Note:Itisapropertyofwavenotformatter,twowavecanbeatsameplaceas
waveobeysuperpositionbuttwomattercannotbeatsameplace.
Iftwowavemeetatphasetheyenhancethedistribenceknownasconstructive
interferenceiftwowavemeetatantiphasethenthereislessornodistrubence
atallknownasdistructiveinterference(liketwolightmakedark!!!!!)particle
cannevershowthisproperty.
2.INCIDENTANDREFLECTEDWAVE
Home Task: Bysuperpositonshowthattravellingwaveorpulsesuffersaphase

changeofonreflectionatarigidboundaryandnophasechangeonreflectionat
anopenboundary.

Asweknow y ( x , t )= a sin(t kx) representatravelingwaveinthepositive

xdirectionandbysuperpositontravellingwaveorpulsesuffersaphase
changeofonreflectionatarigidboundaryandnophasechangeon
reflectionatanopenboundary.Soifincidentwaveisrepresentedby
y incdent ( x , t )=a sin( t kx) thenatArefletcedwaveisrepresentedby
y ( x , t)= a sin(t k (x)+ ) = y ( x , t)= a sin( t + kx) (x)asitmoviginthe
negativexdirection.

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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
3.STANDINGWAVE:DuetoSuperpositionoftwoidenticalequalandopposite

wave(incidentandreflactedwave)Theresultantwavedonotseemtomove;
rather,theyjustvibrateinplace.

(Fig1)
Thisissnapshortofstandingwaveatdifferenttime.theBLACKLINErepresentthe
displacementofparticleofthemedium.Thisparternisjustnotmovingbutupand
down.(L
ookatreddotithasalwayszerodisplacement._)

3.2MATHEMATICALDISCRIPTION:
Twowaveonealongpositivexdirection y in ( x , t)=a sin( kxt ) andother
alongnegativexdirection y r ( x , t)=a sin(kx + t ) soresultantdistrubence
(displacementoftheparticle....) Y (x ,t )= y in ( x , t )+ y r ( x , t) .(3.1)

Y ( x , t)= a[sin ( kx t )+ sin ( kx+ t)]

2 a sin kxcos t

(3.2)

Y(x,t)givestheBLACKLINEINFig1
Now,att=ophasedifferenceoftwowaveiszerosoamplitudeaddednow
fromequation3.2 Y (x ,t )=2 a sin kx cos t givesY(x,0)=2asin(kx)(Fig2.a)
HomeTask:showthatatt=T/4phasedifferenceis
Asatt=T/4phasedifferenceis sotheyproducenodistranbece(Fig2.b).
Itcanbeshownatequation2aswt= /2soyiszeroforallxvalue.Same
logicisfor.....Fig(2.c),Fig(2.d)andFig(2.e)

Fig 2.a

Fig 2.b

Fig 2.c

Fig 2.d

Fig 2.e

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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
HomeTask:Findthetimedifferecebetweentwoconsecutivesituationwhen
theirisnodistrubenceofanyparticle.
4.NODEANDANTINODE:
From Y ( x ,t )=2 a sin kx cos t

kx=n

where

Y ( x ,t ) isalwayszero(forallt)ifsin(kx)=o

+
n ,SoFor x=

n
2

theparticlearealwaysatzero

displacementknownasNode(TheDotpointofthefig1).Sodistance
betweentwoconsecutivenodeis

Antinodeisthepointwheredisplacementismaximum(atthosepointthe
displacementismaximumbutnotalwaysremainmaximumasinthecaseof
node.) Y ( x ,t )=2 a sin kx cos t soForthepointof

x=(2 n+1)
4

kx=(2 n+1)
2

or

wegetmaximumdisplacementwhen cos t=1 .Thoseare

antinode.
HomeTask:1)For

x=
3

whattimeithappen.
2)IfP=K

y
x

whatisthemaximumdisplacementofthispointat

(K=bulkmodulus)Showthatatnodepressureis

maximumwhereasatantinodepressureiszero.

5.BEAT:Whentwonearly
equalfrequencyand
amplitudewaves
superposed,the
amplitudeofthe
resultantwavefluctuates
periodicalyfrom
maximunto
minimum.thisknownas
beat.
Wearegattingloud
soundatA,Betc

(Fig 3)

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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
5.2 ANALYTICAL METHOD:

Letsuperpositionoftwowave

y 1= a sin(2 n1 t ) and y 2= a sin(2 n2 t ) bysuperposionprinciplethe

resultantdisplacement Y = y 1 + y 2= a sin(2 n 1 t )+ a sin(2 n 2 t ) (5.1)
n1 + n2
n n
)t .cos 2 ( 1 2 ) t
so Y =2 a sin 2 (
(5.2)
2
2
n 1+ n 2
n n 2
) and A=2 a cos 2 ( 1
)t
Y = A sin (2 nt ) where n=(
(5.3)
2
2
SoAistheAmplitudeandnisthefrequencyofthewavenownotethat
amplitudeisnotconstantbutfunctionoftime.
HomeTask:ShowthatAismaximumandminimumwhen

t=

1
2
3
,
,
....
( n2n1) (n2 n1) ( n2n1 )

t=

1
3
5
,
,
etc respectively
2(n2 n1) 2( n2n1 ) 2( n2 n1)

Soitfollowesthatsuccessiveminimumormaxmimumoccuraftertime
1
sonumberofbeatpersecondorbeatfrequency=(n2n1)
(n2n1 )
Sobeatfrequencyisfrequencyoffrequencydifference.
HomeTask:Twowavesproduce10beatsin3secondsinagas.theirwavelengthbeing
1meterand1.01meterrespectively.Findvelocityofsoundinthatgas.

6.MODE OF VIBRATION:
Ifyouwanttohavestatinarywaveyoucan'tdoitwithallpossible
frequency.somespaficicfrequencyareallowed.Thosearekonwnasmodeof
vibration.
6.1 MODE OF VIBRATION OF STRATCH STRING:

Fig 4

V V
St
AsShownifFig.1Harmonic.
IfLis
L= =2 L so frequency n0 =
2L
2
fixedthanyoucan'thavelowerfrequncythann0
V V
V
=2 x
=2 n0
FromFig2. L= so frequency n1=

L
2L
3
V 3V
V
FromFig3. L=
so frequency n2=
=3 x
=3 n0
2L
2
2L
Sowewillgateallintergerovertone.
( P+ 1) T
th
Soifnpisthefrequencyofpovertonethen

np=
( )
2L
m

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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
6.2 MODE OF VIBRATION OF CLOSED PIPE :

Fig5.a

Fig5.b

Fig5.c

From Fig 5.a:

V V
l= so frequency n0=
4L
4
from Fig 5.b:

L=

from Fig 5.c : L=

3
V 3V
V
so frequency n1=
=3 x
=3 n 0
4L
4
4L

5
V 5V
V
so frequency n2=
=5 x
=5 n0
4L
4
4L

HomeTask:1.ForopenpipeasshowninthefigFind
FundamentalandOvertone.
2.Thethirdovertoneofaclosedpipeis
foundtobeinunisonwiththefirstovertoneofanopen
pipe.Determinetheratioofthelengthsofthepipes.

Fig6
7. LAW OF TRANVERS VIBRATION OF STRING
As we know velocity of tranvers wave is given by
now we know for fundamental mode =2 L
So, 1. n T if mand L constant 2. n

T
V 1
so n= =

m
V 1
T
so n= =
2L m
V=

1
if mand T constant
L

3. n

T
m
(7.1)

1
if m and L constant
m

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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
7.1 SONOMETER
Sonometerusedtostudyvibrationofstetchstringusingtheequation(7.1)and
BeatPhenomenonitisthestudyofsoundresonenceofvibrationstring.
HomeTask:1.ThelengthofasonometerwireABis110cm.Whereshouldthetwo
bridgesbeplacedfromAtodividethewireinthreesegmentswhosefundamental
frequebcyareintheratioof1:2:3?
2.TwotuningforksAandBwhensoundedtogetherproduce4beats.IfA
isinunisonwiththe0.96mlengthofasonometerwireunderatension,Bisin
unisonwith0.97mlengthofthesamewireundersametension.Calculatethe
frequenciesoftheforks.

3.Theratiooflengthsoftwowiresis2:3andequaltensionsareappliedto
them.thevibrationsareinunison.twowiresaremadeofdifferentmaterialsandif
theratiooftheirradiiis1:3,findtheratiooftheirdensities.
4.Twowaveisgivenby y ( x , t )=10(cm) sin ( 100 t ) and

y ( x , t )=15sin( 100 t + ) whatistheresultantamplitude.(Forsuperpositionof

3

twowavestheresultantwaveamplitudejustfollowthevectoradditionlawandhere
phaseangleisequivalentwithanglebetweentwovectors)

wave number :How many wave(wave length) fit on unit distance.

doppler effect:the apperent change of frequency due to relative motion between sorce and
observer.
When the source of the waves is moving toward the observer, each successive wave crest is
emitted from a position closer to the observer than the previous wave. Therefore, each wave
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WAVEANDSUPERPOSITION
takes slightly less time to reach the observer than the previous wave. Hence, the time between
the arrival of successive wave crests at the observer is reduced, causing an increase in the
frequency. While they are travelling, the distance between successive wave fronts is reduced,
so the waves "bunch together.
Show vL>v.

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