WAVES-1

1)

The displacement of a wave disturbance propagating in the positive x-direction is

given by
1
1
at t 2s
y
at t 0 and y
2
1 (x 1)2
1 x
Where x and y are in m. The shape of the wave disturbance does not change
during the propagation. What is the velocity of the wave?

2)

A travelling wave pulse is given by,

10
5 (x 2t)2
Here x and y are in metre and t is second. In which direction and with what
velocity is the pulse propagating? What is the amplitude of pulse?
y

3)

If at t = 0, a travelling wave pulse on a string is described by the function,

10
y 2
(x 2)
Here x and y are in metre and t in second. What will be the wave function
representing the pulse at time t, if the pulse is propagating along positive x axis
with speed 2 m/s.

4)

Figure shows a snapshot of a sinusoidal travelling wave taken at t = 0.3s. The

wavelength is 7.5cm and the amplitude is 2cm. If the crest P was at x = 0 at t = 0,
write the equation of travelling wave.

5)

Consider a sinusoidal travelling wave shown in figure. The wave velocity is + 40

cm/s. Find:

a) the frequency
b) the phase difference between points 2.5cm apart
c) how long it takes for the phase at a given position to change by 600.
d) the velocity of a particle at point P at the instant shown.
6)

Transverse waves on a string have wave speed 12.0m/s, amplitude 0.05m and
wavelength 0.4m. The waves travel in the + x direction and at t = 0 the x = 0 end
of the string has zero displacement and is moving upwards.
a) Write a wave function describing the wave.
b) Find the transverse displacement of a point at x = 0.25m at time t = 0.15s.
c) How much time must elapse from the instant in part (b) until the point at x =
0.25m has zero displacement.

7)

A stretched string is forced to transmit transverse waves by means of an oscillator

coupled to one end. The string has a diameter of 4mm. The amplitude of the
oscillation is 104 m and the frequency is 10Hz. Tension in the string is 100N and
mass density of wire is 4.2103 kg/m3. Find:
a) the equation of the waves along the string
b) the energy per unit volume of the wave
c) the average energy flow per unit time across any section of the string and
d) power required to drive the oscillator.

8)

A wave pulse on a horizontal string is represented by the function

5.0
y(x,t)
(cgs units)
1.0 (x 2t)2
Plot this function at t = 0, 2.5 and 5.0 s.

9)

For the waves shown in figure, wire the equation of this wave if its position is
shown at t = 0. Speed of wave is v = 300m/s

10)

For a wave described by, y = A sin (t kx) , consider the following points (i) x = 0,

3
(ii) x
, (iii) x
and (iv) x
4k
2k
4k
For a particle at each of these points at t = 0, describe whether the particle is
moving or not and in what direction and describe whether the particle is speeding
up, slowing down or instantaneously not accelerating.

11)

Consider a wave propagating in the negative x direction whose frequency is

100Hz. At t = 5s, the displacement associated with the wave is given by, y = 0.5
cos (0.1x)
Where x and y are measured in centimeters and t in seconds. Obtain the
displacement (as a function of x) at t = 10s. What is the wavelength and velocity
associated with the wave?

12)

A thin string is held at one end and oscillates vertically so that, y(x=0,t) = 8 sin 4t
(cm)
Neglect the gravitational force. The strings linear mass density is 0.2kg/m and its
tension is 1 N. The string passes through a bath filled by 1 kg water. Due to
friction heat is transferred to the bath. The heat transfer efficiency is 50%.
Calculate how much time passes before the temperature of the bath rises one
degree Kelvin.

13)

The figure shows a snap photograph of a vibrating string at t = 0. The particle P is

observed moving up with velocity 20 3 cm/s. The tangent at P makes an angle 600
with x-axis.

a) Find the direction in which the wave is moving.

b) the equation of the wave
c) the total energy carried by the wave per cycle of the string, assuming that ,
the mass per unit length of the string = 50gm/m.

14)

A sinusoidal wave travelling in the positive x-direction has an amplitude of 15.0

cm, a wavelength of 40.0 cm, and a frequency of 8.00 Hz.
The vertical
displacement of the medium at t = 0 and x = 0 is also 15.0cm, as shown in figure.

a) Find the angular wave number k, period T, angular frequency , and speed of
the wave.
b) Determine the phase constant and write a general expression for the wave
function.
15)

If mass M is suspended from the bottom of the rope.

a) show that the time for a transverse wave to travel the length of the rope is
L
t 2
[ (M m) M]
mg
b) show that for m<<M, the expression in part (a) reduces to t

mL
Mg

16)

A string of length L consists of two sections: The left half has mass per unit length
0 / 2 , whereas the right half has a mass per unit length ' 3 3 / 2 . Tension
in the string is T0. Notice from the data given that this string has the same total
mass as a uniform string of length L and of mass per unit length 0 .
a) Find the speeds and ' at which transverse wave pulses travel in the two
sections. Express the speeds in terms of T 0 and 0 , and also as multiples of the
speed 0 (T0 / 0 )1/2 .
b) Find the time required for a pulse to travel from one end of the string to the
other. Give your result as a multiple of t0 L / v0 .

17)

A block of mass M is attached with a string of mass m and length l as shown in

figure. The whole system is placed on a planet whose mass and radius is three
times the mass and radius of earth. Find

a) The time taken by a wave pulse to travel from one end A to B of the string.
b) Ratio of maximum and minimum velocity of wave pulse (g = acceleration due to
gravity on earth).

18.

A uniform rope of length 12m and mass 6 kg hangs vertically from a rigid support.
A block of mass 2kg is attached to the free end of the rope. A transverse pulse of
wavelength 0.06m is produced at the lower end of the rope. What is the
wavelength of the pulse when it reaches the top of the rope?

SOLUTIONS
1)
2)

4)

0.5m/sec
The pulse is travelling along negative x axis with velocity 2m/sec. the amplitude
of the pulse is 2m.
10
y
(x 2t)2 2
y x,t (2cm)cos (0.84cm1)x (3.36rad / sec)t

5)

a) 10Hz

3)

6)

5
1
rad
sec
c)
d) 1.26m/ sec
4
60
1
1
a) y(x,t) (0.05m) sin (60 s )t (2.5m )x

b)

b) 3.54cm
7)

c) 4.2ms

rad

1
)t
a) y(x,t) 104 m sin (1.44m )x (62.83
sec

2 J
5 J
b) 8.29 10
c) 4.53 10
3
m
s
oscillator is obviously 4.53 10 5 watt.

d)

Power

required

8)

9)
10)

11)
12)
13)
14)

y(x,t) (0.06m)

sin (78.5m1)x (23562s1)t

i) Particle is moving upwards, but its acceleration is zero.

ii) Particle is moving upwards, and the particle is speeding up.
iii) Particle is stationary, it is speeding up.
iv) Particle is moving downwards, is slowing down.
y(x,t 10) 0.5 cos(0.1x 1000)
0.5 cos(0.1)x
5
t 3.6 10 sec 4.2day

a) negative x
(b) y=0.4 sin 10t x
c) 1.6 105 J
2
4

a) 0.157 rad/cm, 0.125 sec, 50.3 rad/sec, 320cm/sec.

b) y = 15cm cos (0.137 x 50.3 t)
2T0
2 0, '
0

16)

a)

17)

a) t = 2

18)

0.12m

M m M

2T0

3 0
3l
g

2
0
3

b) 0.966 t0.
b)

max
m
1
min
M

to

drive