UNIVERSITY OF NICOSIA

PHYS- 270- HOMEWORK 2

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1. The equation of a transverse wave traveling along a very long string is
y( x, t ) 6.0 sin0.02 x 4.0 t , where x and y are expressed in cm and t in s. Determine (a)
the amplitude, (b) the wavelength (c) the frequency(d) the speed ,(e) the direction of propagation of
the wave and (f) the maximum transverse speed of a particle in the string. (g) What is the transverse
displacement at x = 3.5 cm when t=0.26 s?
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2. For a certain transverse standing wave on a long
string, an antinode is at x = 0 and an adjacent node is
at x = 0.20 m. The displacement y(t) of the string
particle at x = 0 is shown next, where the scale of the
y axis is set by ys = 4.4 cm. When t = 0.50 s, what is
the displacement of the string particle at (a) x = 0.20
m and (b) x = 0.30 m ? What is the transverse
velocity of the string particle at x = 0.20 m at (c) t =
0.50 s and (d) t = 1.1 s? (e) Skecth the standing wave
at t =0.50 s for x=0 to x=0.40m

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3. (i) A wave on a string is described by y ( x, t ) 0.040 sin(5 x) cos(40 t ) where x and y

are in meters and t in seconds. (a) Locate all the nodes in the range 0 x 0.40 m . (b) What is
the period of any non-node point on the string? (c) Write down the equations of the two traveling
waves that produce the above wave. (d) At what times in the interval 0 t 0.10 s will all the
points on the string have zero transverse velocity? (e) Draw a snapshot of the string
( 0 x 0.40 m ) at t=0 s and t=0.05 s.

(b) 0.05 s, (d)0s,1/40 s, 2/40s, 3,40s, 4/40s

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4. A sinusoidal transverse wave travels on a string with a speed of 40 cm/s. The displacement of the
particle of the string at x=10 cm is found to vary with time according to the equation

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y (5 cm ) sin 1 4 s 1 t . The linear density of the string is 4.0 g/cm. What are (a) the frequency
and (b) the wavelength of the wave? If the wave equation is of the
form y ( x, t ) y m sink x t , what are (c) ym, (d) k, (e) and (f) the correct sign in front of

g) Calculate the tension in the string

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5. A standing wave results from the sum of two transverse traveling waves given by
y1 ( x, t ) 0.050cos x 4 t and y2 ( x, t ) 0.050cos x 4 t where x,y1 and y2 are in
m and t is in s. (a) What is the smallest possible value of x that corresponds to a node? Beginning at
t=0 what is the value of the (b) first (c) second and (c) third time the particle at x=0 has zero
velocity?
Answers:
(a) 0.50 m , (b) 0s , (c)0.25 s, (d) 0.50 s
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6. These two waves travel along the same string:

y1(x, t) = (6.80 mm) sin(2x - 420t )

y2(x, t) = (5.40 mm) sin(2x - 420t + 0.80).

What are: (a) the amplitude (in mm) and (b) the phase angle (relative to wave 1) of the resultant
wave? (c) If a third wave of amplitude 5.00 mm is also to be sent along the string in the same
direction as the first two waves, what should be its phase angle in order to maximize the
amplitude of the new resultant wave?

Hint: treat the problem using the phasor representation.