CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: WORKBOOK

Exam-style questions and sample answers have been written by the authors. In examinations, the way marks are awarded
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Workbook answers
Chapter 14 2 a–e

P
Exercise 14.1 How superposition
leads to stationary waves resultant
Q
1 a, b   b
resultant
a B C
P and Q

A D

P
c 1.0 m resultant
d B up, C up, D down Q

P and Q
resultant
NA N A N A NA NA N
3 a

Distance along Displacement of Displacement of Displacement of other

x-axis / cm stationary wave / cm progressive wave progressive wave / cm
shown / cm
0 +2.0 +1.0 +1.0
0.50   0 +1.0 −1.0
1.00 −2.0 −1.0 −1.0
1.50   0 −1.0 +1.0
2.00 +2.0 +1.0 +1.0

Exercise 14.2 Using stationary

b  odes at 0.5 cm, 1.5 cm, 2.5 cm, 3.5 cm,
n
4.5 cm and 5.5 cm wave patterns
c a ntinodes at 0, 1.0 cm, 2.0 cm, 3.0 cm, 1 a λA = 2.4 m
4.0 cm, 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm λB = 1.2 m
λ
d 0.5 cm = λC = 0.8 m
4
b fB = 480 Hz
fC = 720 Hz

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: WORKBOOK

c NA = 1 progressive wave the phase changes

continuously along the wave.
NB = 2
g a mplitude at P and T the same >
NC = 3 amplitude at S > amplitude at Q >
d  he wire goes from the solid line to a flat
T amplitude at R
horizontal line joining P and Q to the h  he amplitude of points in a stationary
T
dotted line, back to a horizontal line and wave decreases from a maximum at an
finally back to the solid line. antinode to zero at a node and than
2 a 120 cm increases again as one moves towards the
next antinode. In a progressive wave the
b 12 000 cm s−1 amplitude of all points is the same – they
just have different phases.
3 a 0.48 m
i I n a stationary wave there is no
0.24 m
net transmission of energy but in
0.16 m a progressive wave there is a net
transmission of energy. In a stationary
b 208 Hz wave, there are two progressive waves
417 Hz carrying energy in both directions and so
there is no net flow of energy.
625 Hz
2 a  wo waves travelling in opposite directions
T
4 a  ovement elsewhere, at an antinode for
M with the same frequency produce a
example, will cause the particles to collect stationary wave. The waves reflect off the
where there is no movement, at a node. fixed ends of the guitar string and interfere
b λ = 10 cm; f = 3200 Hz (superpose) to form the stationary wave.
The distance between the two ends must
c ANAN or AN be a multiple of half the wavelength for
reflections at both ends to superpose in
Exercise 14.3 Using the correct the same way and form the stationary
wave.
terms to explain stationary waves
b  moves up and down at the frequency of
P
1 a a point on a stationary wave where the the progressive wave.
amplitude is a maximum
c  Q and R all have the same amplitude
P
b a point on a stationary wave where the as they are at antinodes. P and R are in
amplitude is zero phase and are out of phase with Q.
c four d Either of these two diagrams:
d Points Phase difference N N
between the points
P and Q 0
P and R 180° N N
N
P and S 180°
P and T 360° or 0 3 a  molecule moves backwards and
A
Q and R 180° forwards (longitudinally) along the tube
Q and S 180° with a maximum amplitude.
R and S 0 b  ound reflects off the closed end and the
S
two waves travelling in opposite directions
e  ll points between one node and the next
A with the same frequency interfere
have no phase difference. (superpose on one another). A node of
f I n a stationary wave the phase changes displacement is formed at the closed end
through 180° at each node but in a and an antinode at the open end.

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 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: WORKBOOK
c 10 cm
d Repeat this measurement for different
e λ = 13 cm
Exercise 14.4 Planning
experiments on stationary waves
1 a  djust the frequency of the generator
A b
slowly until a stable pattern is seen on
the string. Look along the string: at some
positions the string is stationary (these
are nodes) and at some positions the
movement up and down is at a maximum
(these are antinodes). Place a pin on a
cork and move it along the side of the
string to mark positions where there is no
up and down movement.
b  easure the distance from one node
M 2d
to the next. The wavelength is twice
this distance. For accuracy measure
the distance between as many nodes
as possible, say n and then there are
(n − 1) node-to-node distances in this
measurement. The wavelength = 2d .
( n − 1)
c  btain a steady trace on the screen with
O c
as large a wave as possible, by adjusting
the Y-gain and time base controls.
Measure the number of divisions
(or distance) d along the horizontal axis
on the screen of one complete wave. Note
the time base setting T (the number of
seconds per division).
period = dT
1
frequency =
dT
d Change the tension in the string by
changing the number of weights hanging
on the string. The tension in the string
is found by measuring the mass hanging
on the string and multiplying by g
(acceleration due to gravity). Adjust
the frequency of the vibrator until a
stationary wave pattern appears on the
string. Measure the distance d between
adjacent nodes and note the frequency
f of the signal provided by the signal
generator (a data logger can be attached
to the signal generator if necessary). The
3 Cambridge International AS & A Level Physics – Sang & Jones © Cambridge University Press 2020
speed of the wave is found using v = 2df.
tensions and plot a graph of speed against
tension.
2 a  lace the transmitter facing the metal
P
sheet. Move the detector probe along the
line from the transmitter to the sheet.
There will be a regular rise and fall in the
signal on the meter. A high signal at an
antinode and no, or low, signal at a node.
 he microwave is reflected by the
T
metal sheet. Along the line joining
the transmitter and the sheet there are
two waves with opposite velocities and
similar amplitudes. These superimpose or
interfere to create a stationary wave.
c  easure the distance d between
M
consecutive nodes. The wavelength of the
microwaves is 2d and the frequency f of
c
the microwaves is .
Note this method can also be used to measure
the wavelength of sound using a loudspeaker
as a transmitter and a microphone as the
detector probe.
3 a antinode
b node
3λ
4
d Change the height of the air column by
adding water slowly or removing the glass
cylinder slowly. A stationary wave forms
when there is a loud sound from the air
column.
e
 ith a very small length of air column
W
slowly increase the length of the air
column. When there is the first and
second loud sound make a mark on the
side of the glass column (or if the level
of water changes on the water container).
Measure the two lengths l1 and l2 of the
air column from the top of the column to
the two marks.
λ
At the smallest length l1 =
4
3λ
At the next length l2 =
4
So, λ = 2(l2 − l1)
 CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL AS & A LEVEL PHYSICS: WORKBOOK

f  he graph is a curve, as wavelength

T 1
g  graph of f against is a straight line
A
increases frequency decreases. The curve λ
with gradient v.
does not cross either of the axes.

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