SOLVED OBJECTIVE PROBLEMS

1
Problem 1. The amplitude of a wave disturbance propagating in the positive x–direction is given by y 
1  x2
1
at t = 0 and y  at t  2s , where x and y are in meter. Assuming that the shape of the
2  x2  2 x
wave disturbance does not change during the propagation, the speed of the wave is
(a) 0.5 m/s (b) 1 m/s
(c) 1.5 m/s (d) 2 m/s.

1 1 y
Solution : At t  0 , y , or x   x1
1  x2 y
1 1
At t  2s, y 
2  x 2  2 x 1   x  12

2 1 y
or,  x  1 
y

1 y
or, x  1   x2
y

x x2  x1 1
 Speed of the wave v     0.5 m/s
t t2  t1 2  0

Alternative solution:
The given pulse is represented by
a
y 2
, where v is the velocity of the wave.
b   x  vt 

1
At t  0, it is given that y  2
, and
1   x  v  0

1 1 1
At t  2s , y  
2  x 2  2 x 1   x  12 1   x  vt 2

 vt  1, or v  2  1 t  2s 

 v  0.5 m/s

Ans. (a)

Problem 2. A note has a frequency of 128 Hz. The frequency of a note which is two octave higher than this is
(a) 256 Hz (b) 320 Hz
(c) 400 Hz (d) none of these.

Solution : One octave higher means the note whose frequency is 2 times the given frequency . Similarly 2
octave higher means 3 times the given frequency , which is 3  128Hz  384 Hz
Ans. (d)
Problem 3. The third overtone of a closed pipe is observed to be in unision with the second overtone of an
open pipe. The ratio of the lengths of the pipes is
(a) 3 / 2 (b) 5 / 3
(c) 7/4 (d) 7/6.
v
Solution : Frequency of the fundamental note in closed pipe is  n1 . Only the odd harmonics,
4 1
3n1 (first overtone)
5n1 (second overtone)
7n1 (third overtone)
_______________________
are present
v
Frequency of the fundamental note in open pipe is  n2 . All the harmonics
2 2
2n2 (second harmonic or first overtone)
3n2 (third harmonic or second overtone)
4n2 ( fourth harmonic or third overtone)
___________________________________
are present
Given that : 7n1  3n2

v v
or 7 3
41 2 2

1 7
 
2 6

Ans. (d)

Problem 4. The speed of sound wave in a mixture of 1 mole of helium and 2 moles of oxygen at 27° C is
(a) 400 m/s (b) 600 m/s
(c) 800 m/s (d) 1200 m/s.
Solution : The speed of sound wave is
RT  cp 
v , where    
M  cv mixture
The molecular weight of the mixture
n1 M 1  n2 M 2 1 4  2  32 68 68
M   g/mol=  10 3 kg/mol
n1  n2 1 2 3 3

3 5
 n1cv He   n1cv O 1 R  2  R
 cv mixture  2
 2 2  13 R
n1  n2 1 2 6

19
c 
p mixture   cv mixture  R 
6
R

c 
p mixture 19
   mixture  
 cv mixture 13

Substituting these values, we get

 19 68
v  8.31   273  27  /  10 3  400.93m/s
13 3
Ans. (a)

Problem 5. A traveling wave in a stretched string is described by the equation y  A sin  kx  t  . The
maximum particle velocity is
(a) A (b)  / k
(c) d  / dk (d) x / t
dy
Solution : Particle velocity v  A cos  kx  t 
dt
 Maximum particle velocity  A
Ans. (a)

Problem 6. The extension in a string, obeying Hooke’s law, is x . The speed of sound in the stretched string
is v . If the extension in the string is increased to 1.5x , the speed of sound will be
(a) 1.22 v (b) 0.61 v
(c) 1.50 v (d) 0.75 v.

Solution : Tension T  kx
T   1.5 x
Since v  T
v' T'
   1.5  1.22
v T
or, v '  1.22v
Ans. (a)

Problem 7. Two monoatomic ideal gases 1 and 2 of molecular masses m1 and m2 respectively are enclosed
in separate containers kept at the same temperature. The ratio of the speed of sound in gas 1 to
that in gas 2 is given by:

m1 m2
(a) (b)
m2 m1
m1 m2
(c) (d) .
m2 m1

RT
Solution : Velocity of sound v  , where M is the molar mass.
M
v1 1T1 m2 m2
    1   2 , T1  T2 
v2 m1  2T2 m1

Ans. (b)

Problem 8. The ends of a stretched wire of length L are fixed at x  0 and x  L. In one experiment, the
displacement of the wire is y1  A sin  x / L  sin t and energy is E1 and in another experiment
its displacement is y2  A sin  2 x / L  sin 2t and energy is E2 . Then

(a) E2  E1 (b) E2  2 E1
(c) E2  4 E1 (d) E2  16 E1 .

Solution : In the first case frequency 1   and in the second case frequency 2  2
  Energy  (frequency)2
E1 12 1
   , or E2  4 E1
E2 22 4

Ans. (c)

Problem 9. In a wave motion y  a sin  kx  t  , y can represent

(a) electric field (b) magnetic field
(c) displacement (d) pressure.
Solution : All the options represent periodic variation in wave motion.
Ans. (a, b, c and d)

Problem 10. The displacement y of a particle executing periodic motion is given by y  4cos 2  t  sin 1000t  .
This expression may be considered to be a result of the superposition of waves :
(a) two (b) three
(c) four (d) five.
Solution : Given : y  4cos 2  t  sin 1000t 
 2 1  cos 2t  sin 1000t 

= 2 sin1000t  2sin1000t  cos 2t

 2sin1000t  sin1002t  sin 998t
Thus the periodic motion consists of three components.
Ans. (b)

Problem 11. A train moves towards a stationary observer with speed 34 m/s. The train sounds whistle and its
frequency registered by the observer is f1 . If the train’s speed is reduced to 17 m/s the frequency
registered is f2 . If the speed of sound is 340 m/s, then the ratio f1 / f 2 is :

(a) 18/19 (b) 1/ 2

(c) 2 (d) 19/18.
v
Solution : f1  f
v  vs1
v
f2  f
v  vs2
f1 340  17 323 19
   
f 2 340  34 306 18
Ans. (d)

Problem 12. An object of specific gravity  is hung from a thin steel wire. The fundamental frequency for
transverse standing waves in the wire is 300 Hz. The object is immersed in water so that one half
of its volume is submerged. The new fundamental frequency in Hz is
1/ 2 1/ 2
 2  1   2 
(a) 300   (b) 300  
 2   2  1 

 2   2  1 
(c) 300   (d) 300  .
 2  1   2 
Solution : Weight of object W  vg
v
Buoyant force B  1  g
2
  1
 W '  W  B  vg    
 2

Now, f  T , where tension is provided by the weight of the object

f' W' 2  1
 
f W 2
1
 2  1  2
or, f '  300  
 2 
Ans. (a)

Problem 13. An open pipe is suddenly closed at one end with the result that the frequency of third harmonic
of the closed pipe is found to be higher by 100 Hz than the fundamental frequency of the open
pipe. The fundamental frequency of the open pipe is
(a) 200 Hz (b) 300 Hz
(c) 240 Hz (d) 480 Hz.
Solution : Fundamental frequency of open pipe is
v
f0 
2
Third harmonic of the closed pipe
 v 
fc  3  
 4 
v v
Given: 3   100
4 2
v
or,  200 Hz
2
Ans. (a)

Problem 14. The wires X and Y of a guitar produce 4 beats per second. If the tension of Y is raised , then
the number of beats becomes 2 per second. If the frequency of X is 300, then frequency of Y
(a) 296 (b) 298
(c) 300 (d) 294.
Solution : fX fY  4
When the tension of Y is raised, its frequency increase and the difference, f X  fY is reduced

 fY  f X

 fY  f X  4  300  4  296
Ans. (a)

Problem 15. Two vibrating strings of the same material but length L and 2L have radii 2r and r
respectively. They are stretched under the same tension. Both the strings vibrate in their
fundamental modes, the one of length L with frequency 1 and the other with frequency  2 . The
ratio 1 /  2 is given by :

(a) 2 (b) 4
(c) 8 (d) 1.

1 T
Solution : Fundamental frequency f 
2 
 f1 1 2
  (since tension is same)
f2  2 1

2 L r 2
 , (since the wires are of same material)
L   4r 2 

1
Ans. (d)

Problem 16. Two pulses is a stretched string whose centers are initially 8cm apart are moving towards each
other as shown in the figure. The speed of each pulse is 2 cm/s. After 2 second, the total energy of
the pulses will be :

8 cm
(a) zero (b) purely kinetic
(c) purely potential (d) partly kinetic and partly potential.
Solution : Under the given situation, the pulses overlap, the string occupies the equilibrium position. The
potential energy will be zero but the total energy will exist in the form of purely kinetic energy .
Ans. (b)
Problem 17. A siren placed at a railway platform is emitting sound of frequency 5kHz. A passenger sitting
in a moving train A records a frequency of 5.5 kHz while the train approaches the siren. During
his return journey in a different train B be records a frequency of 6.0 kHz while approaching the
same siren. The ratio of the velocity of train B to that of train A is :
(a) 242/252 (b) 2
(c) 5/6 (d) 11/6.
v  vA v
Solution : fA  f , or v A   f A  f 
v f
v  vB v
fB  f , or vB   f B  f 
v f

vB f  f 6.0  5 1
  B   2
vA f A  f 5.5  5 0.5

Ans. (b)
Problem 18. A sonometer wire resonates with a given tuning fork forming standing waves with five antinodes
between the two bridges when a mass of 9 Kg is suspended from the wire. When this mass is
replaced by a mass M , the wire resonates with the same tuning fork forming three antinodes for
the same positions of the bridges. The value of M is
(a) 25 Kg (b) 5 Kg
(c) 12.5 Kg (d) 1/25 Kg.

p T
Solution : f  , where p is the number of antinodes
2 
5 9 3 M
Here, f  
2  2 

Simplifying, we get M  25 Kg
 Ans. (a)

Problem 19. A transverse sinusoidal wave of amplitude a, wavelength  and frequency f is traveling on a
stretched string. The maximum speed of any point on the string is v /10, where v is the speed of
propagation of the wave. If a  103 m and v  10ms-1 , then  and f are given by

(a)   2  102 m (b)   10 3 m

(c) f  103 /  2  Hz (d) f  10 4 Hz.

2
Solution : y  a sin  vt  x 

dy a 2
Particle velocity  a  v cos  vt  x 
dt  
dy 2 v
 a 
dt max  10


 Amplitude a 
2 10
or,   20  a  2  10 2 m

v 10 103
Frequency f   2
 Hz.
 2  10 2
Ans. (a), (c)

Problem 20. The beat frequency produced by two tuning forks when sounded together is observed to be 4 Hz.
One of the forks makes 384 vibrations per second. When the other fork is loaded with a small
piece of wax, the beats disappear 1st. The frequency of the second tuning fork is
(a) 388 Hz (b) 380 Hz
(c) more than 388 Hz (d) less than 380 Hz.
Solution : Since the frequency of beats in 4 Hz, the frequency of the second tuning fork will be either 384 +
4 = 388Hz, or 384 – 4 = 380 Hz. On loading , the frequency decreases. If 388 Hz be the true
frequency, the beats after loading may disappear since frequency may decrease from 388 Hz to
384 Hz. The frequency 380Hz is not permissible , since if will decrease further and cannot
increase to 384 Hz. Hence 388 Hz is the true frequency.
Ans. (a)