PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 32

Solved Problems

Subjective

Problem 1 : A 6-kg weight is fastened to the end of a steel wire of unstreched length
60 cm. It is whirled in a vertical circle and has an angular velocity of 2
revolution per second at the bottom of the circle. The area of cross-
section of the wire is 0.05 cm
2
. Calculate the elongation of the wire
when the weight is at the lowest point of the path. Young's modulus of
steel = 2 10
11
Pa.

Solution: At the lowest position, T - mg = me
2
= me
2
(
0
+ A)
or T = mg + me
2
= mg + me
2
(
0
+ A)
stress = Y strain = Y
0

A

T = A stress = A Y(A/
0
)
or, A Y(A/
0
) = mg + me
2

= mg + me
2
(
0
+ A)
or, A =
) m ) / AY (
m mg
2
0
0
2
e
e +

= 3.77 10
-4
m

Problem 2: An organ pipe is sounded with a tuning fork of frequency 256 Hz.
When the air in the pipe is at a temperature of 15C, 23 beats are heard
in 10 S. When the tuning fork is loaded with a small piece of wax, the
beat frequency is found to decrease. What change of temperature of
the air in the pipe is necessary to bring the pipe and the unloaded fork
into unison.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 33

Solution : Let frequency of the tuning fork = f
t
= 256 Hz.
F
b
= | f
t
- f
pipe
| =
10
23

when the tunning fork is loaded, frequency is decreased. As beat
frequency is decreases, f
t
> f
p

f
t
= f
pipe
+ 2.3 putting f
t
= 256 Hz we obtain f
pipe
= 253.7 Hz
Let at the temperature rise u, the frequency of the pipe increases from
253.7 Hz to 256 Hz

576
1
7 . 253
256 u
+ ~

7 . 253
3 . 2
1
7 . 253
256
576
= =
u

C 2 . 5 ) 576 (
2537
23
0
= |
.
|

\
|
= u

Problem 3 : A source emitting sound of frequency 180 Hz is placed infront of a wall
at a distance of 2m from it. A detector is also placed in front of the wall
at the same distance from it. Find the minimum distance between the
source and the detector for which the detector detects a maximum of
sound. Speed of sound air = 360 m/s.

Solution : The situation is shown in Figure. Suppose the detector is placed at a
distance of x meter from the source. The direct wave received from the
source travels a distance of x-meter.

The wave reaching the detector
after reflection from the wall has
traveled a distance of
2 [(2)
2
+x
2
/4]
1/2
meter. The path
difference between the two waves
is
S
X
D

A = {2[(2)
2
+x
2
/4]
1/2
-x} meter
Constructive interference will take place when A = , 2 , The
minimum distance x for a maximum corresponds to
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 34

A = (1)
The wavelength is = m 2
s 180
s / m 360
f
v
1
= =


Thus by (1), 2 [(2)
2
+x
2
/4]
1/2
-x = 2
or (4+x
2
/4)
1/2
= 1+x/2
or 4+ x
4
x
1
4
x
2 2
+ + = or 3 = x
Thus the detector be placed at a distance of 3 m from the source. Note
that there is no abrupt phase change as we are considering the
pressure wave.

Problem 4 : A wave travels out in all directions from a point source. Justify the
expression y=(a
0
/r)sin k (r-vt), at a distance r from the source. Find the
speed, periodicity and intensity of the wave.

Solution : If P be the power of the source then
Intensity I =
2
r 4
P
t

or I o
2
r
1
But I o a
2

So a o
r
1
or a =
r
a
0
Here a
0
is constant.

The equation in standard form is y = a sin k (r-vt)
Therefore above equation is written as y =
r
a
0
sin k (r-vt)
Now comparing this equation with y = a sin (kr-et)
we have e = kv, or n =
t 2
kv
and k =

t 2

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 35

or =
k
2t
; speed c = n = |
.
|

\
|
t 2
kv
x |
.
|

\
| t
k
2

c = v and T =
kv
2
n
1 t
=
Thus intensity is given by
I =
2
1
a
2
e
2
c I =
2
1

2
2
0
r
a
k
2
v
2
.v
I =
2
1

2
3 2 2
0
r
v k a
.

Problem 5 : A wave is propagating on a long stretched string along its length taken
as positive x-axis the wave equation is given by

2
x
T
t
0
e y y
|
.
|

\
|

=
where y
0
= 2mm, T = 1.0 sec and = 6 cm find.
(a) The velocity of the wave
(b) Find the function f(t) giving the displacement of the particle at x = 0.
(c) Find the function g(x) giving the shape of string at t = 0
(d) Plot the shape g(x) of the string at t = 0.
(e) Plot the shape of the string at t = 6 sec.

Solution : The wave equation may be written as
Y = Y
0

2
2
T /
x
t
T
1
e
)
`

(a) Comparing it with the general equation
y = f |
.
|

\
|

v
x
t , we get, v =
0 . 1
cm 6
T
=

= 6 cm/sec
(b) Putting x = 0 in the given equation
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 36

f(t) = y
0
2
) T / t (
e

(c) Putting t = 0 in the given equation
g(x) = y
0

2
) / x (
e



x = 0
(d)

x = 0 x = 6
(e)

Problem 6 : A string of length L and Mass M hangs freely from a fixed point.
Calculate
(a) The velocity of the transverse wave along the string at any
position.
(b) Time taken by a transverse pulse to traverse the string.

Solution : (a) Mass per unit length of the string
=
L
M
(i)
Let there be a point on the string at a distance x from the free end.
Tension at the point
T = (mass of the x part of the spring)
T =
L
M
x.g
Hence, velocity of transverse wave along the string,
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 37

v =
m
T
v =
L / M
L / ) Mgx (

v = gx (ii)
(b) From equation (ii) we have
v = gx |
.
|

\
|
dt
dx
= gx or dt =
gx
dx

Required time t =
}
L
0
gx
dx
=
}

L
0
2 / 1
dx x
g
1

t = 2
g
L
.

Problem 7 : The vibrations of a string fixed at both ends are described by the
equation y = (5.00 mm) sin [(1.57 cm
-1
)x] sin [(314 s
-1
)t]
(a) What is the maximum displacement of a particle at x = 5.66 cm?
(b) What are the wavelengths and the wave speeds of the two
transverse waves that combine to give above vibration?
(c) What is the velocity of the particle at x = 5.66 cm at time t = 2 s.
(d) If the length of a string is 10.0 cm, locate the nodes and
antinodes. How many loops are formed in the vibration?

Solution : (a) The amplitude of vibration of a particle at position x is
A = |5.00 mm sin [(1.57 cm
-1
)x] | for x = 5.66 cm
A = |(5.00 mm) sin [
2
t
x5.66]|
= |(5.00 mm) sin (2.5 t+
3
t
)|
= | (5.00 mm) cos
3
t
|
= 2.50 mm.
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 38


(b) From the given equation, the wave number R = 1.57 cm
-1
and angular
frequency e = 314 s
-1
, the wavelength is
=
k
2t
=
57 . 1
14 . 3 2

= 4.00 cm and the frequency is
n =
t
e
2
=
14 . 3 2
314

= 50 s
1
Now the wave speed is
v = n
v = (50 s
-1
) (4.00 cm)
v = 2.00 m/s

(c) The velocity of the particle at position x at the t is given by
v =
dt
dy

= [(5.00 mm) sin (1.57 cm
-1
) x] 314 s
-1
cos (314 s
-1
) t
= (157 cm/s) sin (1.57 cm
-1
) x cos(314 s
-1
) t
Putting x = 5.66 cm and t = 2.05, the velocity of this particle at the
given time is
= (157 cm/s) sin
(

t
+
t
3 2
5
cos (200t)
= (157 cm/s) cos
3
t
x 1
= 78.5 cm/s

(d) The nodes occur where the amplitude is zero. i.e.
sin (1.57 cm
-1
) x = 0
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 39

|
.
|

\
| t
1
cm
2
x = nt, where n is integer
Thus x = 2 n cm
The nodes, occur at x = 0 cm 2 cm, 4 cm, 8 cm, and 10 cm, antinodes
occur in between them i.e. at x = 1 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, 7 cm and 9 cm.
Hence it is clear that string vibrates in five loops.

Problem 8 : The loudest painless sound produces a pressure amplitude of 28 Nm
-2
.
Calculate the intensity of this sound wave at S.T.P. Density of air at S.T.P.
= 1.3 kg m
-3
, speed of sound at S.T.P. = 332 ms
-1
.

Solution : y = a sin (et-kx) is the equation of progressive wave and 1/2 a
2
e
2
v is its
intensity.
P =
dx
Edy
, v =

E

= v
2
(-ak) (cos et-kx)
= v
2
ak sin (et-kx t/2)
P
max
= v
2
ak
I =
)
`

=
e

v
k
v k v
k v
P
2
1
2 2
2 2 4
max
2

=
v
P
2
1 max
2

=
332 3 . 1
28
2
1
2

= 0.91 W-m
-2
.
Problem 9 : Taking the composition of air to be 75% of nitrogen and 25% of oxygen
by weight, calculate the velocity of sound through air at STP.

Solution : The molecular weight of a mixture is given by

M
.... m m m
3 2 1
+ + +
= ......
M
m
M
m
2
2
1
1
+ +
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 40


M
25 75 +
=
32
25
28
75
+
or, M = 28.9
of a mixture is given by
= ....
1
n
1
n
1
n n n
2
2
1
1 3 2 1
+

+

=

+ +


1
32
25
28
75

+
=
1 4 . 1
32
25
1 4 . 1
28
75

1
46 . 3

= 6.70 + 1.95
= 1.4
v =

P

By the perfect gas equation
P =
M
RT
|
.
|

\
|
=
M
RT P

v =
M
RT
=
9 . 28
273 1000 3 . 8 4 . 1

v = 331.3 ms
-1


Problem 10 : The velocity of sound in hydrogen at 0C is 1200 m/s. When some
amount of oxygen is mixed with hydrogen, the velocity decreases to
500 m/s. Determine the ratio of H
2
and O
2
by volume in the mixture,
given that the density of the oxygen is 16 times that of hydrogen.

Solution : Since we know that
V =
H
P

; 1200 =
H
P

(1)
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 41

Let there be x volume of H
2
and y volume of O
2

Then (x+y)
mix
= x
H
+ y
0
= x
H
+ 16 y
H


mix
=
H
y x
) y 16 x (

+
+
; 500 =
H
) y 16 x (
) y x ( P
+
+
(2)
Dividing (1) by (2),

y x
y 16 x
5
12
+
+
= or
1
2 . 2
y
x
= .

Problem 11 : A steel wire of length 1 m, mass 0.1 kg and uniform cross sectional area
10
-6
m
2
is rigidly fixed at both ends. The temperature of the wire is
lowered by 20C. If transverse waves are set up by plucking the string in
the middle, calculate the frequency of fundamental mode of vibration.
Youngs modulus of steel = 2 x 10
11
N/m
2
and coefficient of linear
expansion of steel = 1.21 x 10
-5
C
-1


Solution : Coefficient of linear expansion is given by
o =
u A
A

where Au = change in temperature

Hence internal strain = (o.Au) stress = Y strain = Yo Au
tension T = tr
2
; stress = tr
2
Y o Au
v =
m
T

n =
m
T
2
1

=
m
Y r
2
1
2
u A o t

n =
1 . 0
20 10 21 . 1 10 2 10
1 x 2
1
5 11 6

n = 11 Hz.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 42

Problem 12 : At two points of position vector
2 1
r and r

, lying on a straight line through
a point source of sound and on either side of the source, the amplitudes
of waves are a
1
and a
2
respectively. Find the position vector of the
source in terms of
2 1
r , r

, a
1
and a
2
. Neglect absorption of waves by the
medium.

Solution: Let S be the source whose position vector relative to 0 is . r

I (intensity
a
2
)and also I 1/d
2
where a = amplitude and d = distance.
a 1/d
a
1
d
1
= a
2
d
2
= k (a constant)
Let i

be the unit vector along PQ Then r

= i

d r
1 1
+

d
r
d
r
1
1
1
+ =

and ) i

( d r r
2 2
+ =


i

d
r
d
r
2
2
2
=


Adding
2
2
1
1
2 1
d
r
d
r
d
1
d
1
r

+ =
(

+
Substituting d
1
=
2
1
2
d
a
a


2 1
2 2 1 1
a a
r a r a
r
+
+
=

.
Problem 13: A stationary observer received sound waves from two tuning forks, one
of which approaches and the other recedes with the same velocity. As
this takes place, the observer hears beats of frequency v = 2 HZ. Find the
velocity of each tuning fork if their oscillation frequency n = 680 and the
velocity of sound in air is v
s
= 340 ms.

Solution: n' = n
v c
v c
s
0

Here n' = 680
v 340
340
680
v 340
0 340

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 43

n= 680
v 340
340
680
v 340
0 340

+
=
+

It is given that n' - n = 2
2
v 340
680 340
v 340
680 340
=
+

or, 340 x 680 2
v 340
v 2
2 2
=
(

or 340 x 680 x v = 340
2
-v
2
=340
2
( v << 340)
or v =
680
340
= 0.5 ms
-1


Problem 14 : A boat is traveling in a river with a speed 10m/s along the stream
flowing with a speed 2 m/s. From this boat, a sound transmitter is
lowered into the river through a rigid support. The wavelength of the
sound emitted from the transmitter inside the water is 14.45 mm.
Assume that attenuation of sound in water and air is negligible.
(a) What will be the frequency detected by a receiver kept inside the
river downstream?
(b) The transmitter and the receiver are now pulled up into air. The air is
blowing with a speed 5 m/s in the direction opposite the river
stream. Determine the frequency of the sound detected by the
receiver.
(Temperature of the air and water = 20
0
C; Density of river water
=10
3
Kg/m
3
; Bulk modulus of the water = 2.088 x 10
9
Pa; Gas
constant R = 8.31 J/mol-K; Mean molecular mass of air = 28.8 x 10
-3

Kg/mol; C
P
/C
V
for air = 1.4)

Solution : (a) Velocity of sound in still water (v
sw
) = (B/)
1/2
= 1445 m/s
f = (v
sw
)/(
w
) = 10
5
Hz, f' = f (v
sw
+ v
w
)/ (v
sw
+v
w
-v
b
)
= 100696 Hz.
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 44

Here v
w
= velocity of water stream, v
b
= velocity of boat.

(b) Velocity of sound in still air (v
sa
) = (RT/M)
1/2
= 344 m/s.
f' = f (v
sa
v
a
)/ (v
sa
- v
a
- v
b
) = 100698 Hz. Here v
a
= velocity of air.

Objective

Problem 1: When the load on a wire is increasing slowly from 2 kg to 4 kg, the
elongation increases from 0.6 mm to 1 mm. The work done during this
extension of the wire is (g = 10 m/s
2
)
(A) 14 10
-3
J (B) 0.4 10
-3
J
(C) 8 10
-2
J (D) 10
-3
J

Solution : W = ) F
2
1
(
2 2
A ) F
2
1
(
1 1
A = 20 10
-3
- 6 10
-3
= 14 10
-3
J

Problem 2: If is the density of the material of a wire and o is the breaking stress,
the greatest length of the wire that can hang freely without breaking is
(A) o/g (B) o/2g
(C) 2o/g (D) /2og

Solution : Stress = weight / area
= Ag/A = g o = g
= o/g

Problem 3: The speed of sound through a gaseous medium bears a constant ratio
with the rms speed of its molecules. The constant ratio is
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 45

(A)
3

(B) - 1
(C)
3
2
(D)
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
v
p
c
c

Solution : V
sound
=
M
RT

v
rms
=
M
RT 3

3 v
V
rms
sound

= .

Problem 4: In the interference of waves from two sources of intensities I
o
and 4I
0
,
the intensity at a point where the phase difference is t is
(A) I
0
(B) 2I
0

(C) 3I
0
(D) 4I
0


Solution: I = I
1
+ I
2
+ 2 u cos I I
2 1

= I
0
+ 4I
0
+ 2 t cos ) I 4 I (
0 0
= I
0
.

Problem 5: An air column in a pipe, which is closed at one end, will be in resonance
with vibrating tuning fork of frequency 264 Hz, if the length of the
column is
(A) 31.25 (B) 62.50
(C) 93.75 (D) 125
Solution : f=
L 4
v

264 =
L 4
330

L =
264 4
330

= 31.25 cm

Problem 6: A policeman on duty detects a drop of 10% in the pitch of the horn of a
moving car as it crosses him. If the velocity of sound is 330 m/s, the
speed of the car will be
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 46

(A) 20 m/sec (B) 17.3 m/sec
(C) 25 m/s (D) 27 m/sec

Solution : f
1
/ f
2
=
(

+ v c
c
v c
c


v c
v c
f
f
2
1

+
=
v c
v c
90
100

+
=
100 c 100 v = 90 C + 90 v
10 c = 190 v
1/19 330 = 17.3 m/s.

Problem 7 : An accurate and reliable audio oscillator is used to standardize a tuning
fork marked as 512 Hz. When the oscillaror reading is 514, two beats
are heard per second. When the oscillator reading is 510, the beat
frequency is 6 Hz. The frequency of the tuning fork is
(A) 506 (B)510
(C) 516 (D) 158

Solution : It should be remembered that the oscillaror reading is correct and the
tuning fork frequency marked is wrong. When the oscillator reading is
514, two beats are heard. Hence the frequency f the tuning fork is 514
2 = 516 or 512. When the oscillator reading is 510, the frequency of
the tuning fork is 510 6 = 516 or 504. The common value is 516.
Hence the frequency is 516 Hz.
(C)

Problem 8: A sound wave of wavelength travels towards the right horizontally
with a velocity V. It strikes and reflects from a vertical plane surface,
travelling at a speed v towards the left. The number of positive crests
striking during a time interval of three seconds on the wall is
(A) 3 (V + v) / (B)3(Vv)/
(C) (V + v)/ 3 (D) (V v) /3

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 47

Solution : The relative velocity of sound waves with respect to the walls is V + v.
Hence the apparent frequency of the waves striking the surface of the
wall is (V + v)/ . The number of positive crests striking per second is the
same as frequency. In three seconds the number is [3 (V + v)]/ .
(A)
Problem 9 : Two waves represented by y
1
= 10 sin (2000 t t) and
y
2
= 10 sin (2000 t t + t/2) are superposed at any point at a
particular instant. The resultant amplitude is
(A) 10 units (B) 20 units
(C) 14.1 units (D) zero

Solution : The resultant amplitude A of two waves of amplitudes a
1
and a
2
at a
phase difference of | is (
2 / 1
2 1
2
2
2
1
) cos a a 2 a a ( | + + . Substituting
a
1
= 10, a
2
= 10 and | = 90
0
, we get A = 14.1.
(C)

Problem 10 : When pressure increases by 1 atmosphere and temperature increases
by 1
0
C, the velocity of sound
(A) increases by 0.61 ms
1
(B) decreases by 0.61 ms
1
(C) increases by 61 ms
1
(B) decreases by 61 ms
1


Solution : The increase of pressure does not change the velocity of sound. When
the temperature increases by 1
0
C, the velocity of sound increases roguly
by 0.6 ms
1
. (V
t
= V
0
+ 0.6 t).
(A)

Problem 11 : When two simple harmonic motions of same periods, same amplitude,
having phase difference of 3t/2, and at right angles to each other are
super imposed, the resultant wave form is a
(A) circle (B) parabola
(C) ellipse (D) figure of eight
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 48


Solution: The SHM's are x = a sin et and y = a sin (et+ 3t/2) = -a cos et
x
2
+ y
2
= a
2
.
(A)

Problem 12: A line source emits a cylindrical wave. If the medium absorbs no
energy, the amplitude will vary with distance r from the source as
proportional to
(A) r
1
(B) r
2

(C) r
1/2
(D) r
1/2


Solution : The energy is inversely proportional to the square of distance. Hence
the amplitude is inversely proportional to the distance.
(A)

Problem 13 : A transverse wave is described by the equation y = y
0
sin 2t (ft x/a).
The maximum particle velocity is equal to four times the wave velocity if
a is equal to
(A) ty
0
/ 4 (B) ty
0
/2
(C) ty
0
(D) 2ty
0


Solution : The maximum particle velocity of a SHM of amplitude y
0
and frequency f
is 2tfy
0
. The wave velocity is f. For 2t fy
0
to be equal to 4f, has to
be ty
0
/ 2
(Here=a).
(B)

Problem 14: Which of the following does not represent a travelling wave ?
(A) y = f (x vt) (B) y = y
m
sin k (x + vt)
(C) y = y
m
log (x vt) (D) y = f (x
2
v
2
t
2
)
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 49


Solution : (a) and (b) are travelling waves, while (d) is the superposition of two
travelling waves. However (c) is a logarithmic function which cannot
represent a wave motion.
(C)

Problem 15: The amplitude of a wave is given by A = c / (a + b - c). Resonance will
occurwhen
(A) b = -c / 2 (B)b=-a/2
(C) b = 0, a = c (D) none of these

Solution : Resonance occurs when the amplitude is maximum, i.e., when the
denominator of this equation is minimum.
(C)

Problem 16 : Inside a gas, sound transmission is possible for
(A)longitudinalwaves only
(B transverse waves only
(C) neither longitudinal waves nor transverse waves
(D) both longitudinal and transverse waves

Solution : Inside a gas, only the longitudinal mode of transmission is possible for
sound waves.
(A)

Problem 17 : If spherical wavefronts are incident on a plane wall, then reflected
wavefront will be
(A) spherical (B)plane
(C) elliptical (D) none of the above

Solution : (A)
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 50


Problem 18 : A flat horizontal platform moves up and down in S.H.M. with an
amplitude of 1 cm. A small object is placed on the platform. What is
the maximum frequency the platform can have, if the object is not to
separate from it during any part of the motion ?
(A) /2 980 per second (B) 2 / 980 per second
(C) 980 / 2t per second (D) 2 t 980 per second
Solution : The maximum restoring force of S.H.M. is the weight of the object in the
platform. If A is the amplitude, we have me
2
A = mg, where e = 2t f.
This solves to
f = \ g /2t = 980 /2t. (g in CGS system is 980 cm/s
2
).
(A)

Problem 19 : The amplitude of a wave disturbance propagating in the positive x-
direction is given by y =1/ (1 + x
2
) at time t = 0 and by y = 1/[1 + (x 1)
2

at t = 2 seconds, where x and y are in metres. The shape of the wave
disturbance does not change during the propagation. The velocity of
the wave is
(A) 1 ms
1
(B)0.5ms
1

(C) 1.5 ms
1
(D) 2 ms
1


Solution : Writing the general expression for y in terms of x as
y =
2
) vt x ( 1
1
+
. At t = 0, y = 1/ (1 + x
2
). At t = 2 s, y =
2
)] 2 ( v x [ 1
1
+

Comparing with the given equation we get 2v = 1 and v = 0.5 m/s.
(B)

Problem 20: The displacement y of a particle executing periodic motion is given by y
= 4 cos
2
(1/2 t)sin (1000 t). This expression may be considered as a result
of the superposition of
(A) two waves (B)threewaves
(C) four waves (D) five waves
PRACTICE PROBLEMS

BY NALLAMOTHU Page 51


Solution : If we have a term cos kx sin et, it is the superposition of two wave
motions. If we have an equation of the form cos
2
at sin bt it can be
shown to be superposition of three sine waves.
Here, y = 4 cos
2
(
2
1
t sin (1000 t)
= 2 [1 + cos t] sin 1000 t
= 2 [sin 1000 t +
2
1
(sin 100 t + sin 999 t)]
= this comprises three waves.
(B)