8/25/2019 Displacement & Pressure waves – Quantum Study

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Displacement & Pressure waves

A longitudinal sound wave can be expressed either in terms of the longitudinal

displacement of the particles of the medium or in terms of excess pressures
produced due to compression or rarefection.

The rst type is called the displacement wave and the second type the pressure
wave. The displacement wave can be described by the equation.

y = Asin (wt − kx)

PRESSURE WAVE

Consider the element of medium which is con ned within x and x + Δx in the
undisturbed state.

If S is the cross section, the volume of the element in undisturbed state will be V =
S Δx.

As the wave passes, the ends at x and x + Δx are displaced by amount y and y + Δy.

=> Increase in volume ΔV = SΔy

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8/25/2019 Displacement & Pressure waves – Quantum Study

=> Volumetric Strain ΔV/V = SΔy/S Δx = Δy/Δx

=> Excess pressure P = − B(ΔV/V ) = − B.Δy/Δx

Here B is the bulk modulus of elasticity or we can write-

P = − B(dy/dx) and if y = A Sin (wt − kx ) then

dy/dx = − Ak Cos (wt − kx) at a certain time t.

=> P = AkB Cos (wt − Kx) = Po Cos (wt − kx) when Po = AkB

So, the following conclusions may be drawn from the above result.

(a) If the displacement wave is represented by

Y = A sin (wt − kx) , then the corresponding pressure wave will be represented by

P = Po Cos (wt − kx) where Po = ABk and P = −B dy/dx

    

(b) Pressure wave is (π/2) out of phase with displacement wave. i.e. pressure is
maximum when displacement is minimum and vice-versa.

(c) The amplitude of the pressure wave is Po = AkB

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