UNIVERSITY OF NICOSIA

PHYS- 270
HOMEWORK 3
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1. On the otherwise calm surface of a lake a mechanism, that consists of two oscillating needles A
and B separated by a fixed distance, is generating harmonic waves. The needles (sources) are
oscillating at 2 Hz and create circular waves with amplitude of 0.01 m that propagate with a speed
of 0.1 m/s. The needles start oscillating in phase at t=0 s. A tiny cork C is at a distance of 0.4 m
from needle A and a distance of 0.6 from needle B (see diagram below).
(a) Write down the equation of the wave emanating from source A along the direction AC
assuming that at t=0 the two needles are moving from the equilibrium position upwards.
(b) At the position where the cork is, do we have a constructive or destructive interference?
Investigate and justify.
(c) Give in a detailed diagram (in Excel or Matlab) of the displacement of the cork as function of
time in the interval 0 to 8 s.

L1 = 0.4 m

L2 = 0.6 m

* Assume that the amplitude of the waves does not change as they move away from the source
(something that of course is not true).
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2. The radiowaves from a transmitter to a receiver may follow either a direct path or else an
indirect path involving a reflection (consider a phase change of 180o for the reflected beam)
on the ground. This can lead to destructive interference of the two waves and a consequent fading
of the radio signal at a certain location. Suppose that a transmitter and a receiver operate at a
wavelength and are at height h from the ground, on tall buildings with bare ground between.

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The distance from receiver to emitter is d. (a) Show that the condition for destructive interference
is:

d 2 4h 2 d m , m 1,2,...

Direct beam

h
Reflected
beam

(b) If h=60 m and d=2300 m find the two biggest values of wavelength that lead to destructive
interference?
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3. A small loudspeaker is driven by an audio oscillator and amplifier, adjustable in frequency
from 1000 to 2000 Hz.
(i) A metal cylinder of length L=45.7 cm, open at both ends is brought near the
loudspeaker. (a) Find the frequencies at which the tube will resonate. (b) Sketch the
related standing waves.
(ii) If we close the tube at one end, find the frequency of the simplest resonant harmonic
in the above frequency range and sketch it.
(v=343 m/s at normal temperature and pressure)
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4. (i) A French submarine and a Cyprus Submarine move towards each other in the calm waters
of Mediterranean Sea. The French vessel moves at 50 km/h and the Cypriot one at 70 km/h. A
sonar signal is sent from the French vessel at 1000 Hz. The sonar waves travel at 5470 km/h. (a)
What is the frequency of the signal received by the Cypriot submarine? (b) What signal frequency
is detected back by the French submarine, due to the reflection on the Cypriot submarine?
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5. A point source emits 30 W of sound isotropically in 3D. A small microphone placed at a
distance of 200 m away, intercepts the sound in an area of 0.750 cm2. Calculate (a) the sound
intensity at the place of the microphone, (b) the corresponding sound level and (c) the acoustic
power received by the microphone. (Neglect any sound energy absorption.)
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6. The figure shows an air-filled, acoustic interferometer, used to demonstrate the interference of
sound waves. Sound source S is an oscillating diaphragm; D is a sound detector, such as the ear
or a microphone. Path SBD can be varied in length, but path
SAD is fixed. At D, the sound wave coming along path SBD
interferes with that coming along path SAD. In one
demonstration, the sound intensity at D has a minimum value of
100.0 units at one position of the movable arm and continuously
climbs to a maximum value of 900 units when that arm is shifted by 1.75 cm. Find (a) the
frequency of the sound emitted by the source and (b) the ratio of the amplitude at D of the SAD
wave to that of the SBD wave. (Take the speed of sound to be 343 m/s.). (c) How can it happen
that these waves have different amplitudes considering that they originate at the same source?