1.

The wave function for a traveling wave on a taut string is (in SI units)


y( x, t)  0.350sin(10  3 x  )
4
What are (a) the speed and direction of travel of the wave? (b) What is the
vertical position of an element of the string at t = 0, x = 0.100 m? What are
(c) the wavelength and (d) the frequency of the wave? (e) What is the
maximum transverse speed of an element of the string?

2. Tension is maintained in a string as in Figure P16.29. The observed wave

speed is v = 24.0 m/s when the suspended mass is m = 3.00 kg. (a) What is
the mass per unit length of the string? (b) What is the wave speed when the
suspended mass is m = 2.00 kg?

3. A block of mass M is attached to one end of a cord of mass m; the other end
of the cord is attached to a fixed point. The block rotates with constant
angular speed v in a circle on a frictionless, horizontal table as shown in
Figure P16.55. What time interval is required for a transverse wave to travel
along the string from the center of the circle to the block?
4. A rope of total mass m and length L is suspended vertically. Analysis shows
that for short transverse pulses, the waves above a short distance from the
free end of the rope can be represented to a good approximation by the linear
wave equation discussed in Section 16.6. Show that a transverse pulse
travels the length of the rope in a time interval that is given approximately by

t  2 L / g

5. Assume an object of mass M is suspended from the bottom of the rope of

mass m and length L in Problem 60. (a) Show that the time interval for a
transverse pulse to travel the length of the rope is

6. A block of mass M, supported by a string, rests on a frictionless incline

making an angle u with the horizontal (Fig. P16.53). The length of the string is
L, and its mass is m << M. Derive an expression for the time interval required
for a transverse wave to travel from one end of the string to the other.
7. A sinusoidal wave on a string is described by the wave function
y  0.15sin(0.8 x  50t )

Where x and y are in meters and t is in seconds. The mass per unit length of
this string is 12.0 g/m. Determine (a) the speed of the wave, (b) the
wavelength, (c) the frequency, and (d) the power transmitted by the wave.

8. The speed of sound in air (in meters per second) depends on temperature
according to the approximate expression
v  331.5  0.607 Tc
where TC is the Celsius temperature. In dry air, the temperature decreases
about 1 C for every 150-m rise in altitude. (a) Assume this change is constant
up to an altitude of 9000 m. What time interval is required for the sound from
an airplane flying at 9000 m to reach the ground on a day when the ground
temperature is 30 C?

9. A person wears a hearing aid that uniformly increases the sound level of all
audible frequencies of sound by 30.0 dB. The hearing aid picks up sound
having a frequency of 250 Hz at an intensity of 3.0 x 1011 W/m2. What is the
intensity delivered to the eardrum ?
10. A train whistle (f = 400 Hz) sounds higher or lower in frequency depending on
whether it approaches or recedes. (a) Prove that the difference in frequency
between the approaching and receding train whistle is
2u v
f  f
1  u 2 / v2
Where u is the speed of the train and v is the speed of sound. (b) Calculate
this difference for a train moving at a speed of 130 km/h. Take the speed of
sound in air to be 340 m/s.

11. Show that the difference between decibel levels β1 and β2 of a sound is
related to the ratio of the distances r1 and r2 from the sound source by
r
1   2  20 log( 2 )
r1

12. Two transverse sinusoidal waves combining in a medium are described by the
wave functions
y1  5.00sin[ (4.00 x  1200t )]
y2  5.00sin[ (4.00 x  1200t  0.250)]

Where x, y1, and y2 are in centimeters and t is in seconds. Determine the

maximum transverse position of an element of the medium at (a) x = 0.250 cm,
(b) x = 0.500 cm, and (c) x = 1.50 cm. (d) Find the three smallest values of x
corresponding to antinodes.
13. Two transverse sinusoidal waves combining in a medium are described by the
wave functions
y1  3.00sin[ (x  0.600t )]
y1  3.00sin[ (x  0.600t )]

Where x, y1, and y2 are in centimeters and t is in seconds. Determine the

maximum transverse position of an element of the medium at (a) x = 0.250 cm,
(b) x = 0.500 cm, and (c) x = 1.50 cm. (d) Find the three smallest values of x
corresponding to antinodes.

14. A string with a mass m = 8.00 g and a length L = 5.00 m has one end
attached to a wall; the other end is draped over a small, fixed pulley a
distance d = 4.00 m from the wall and attached to a hanging object with a
mass M = 4.00 kg as in Figure P18.21. If the horizontal part of the string is
plucked, what is the fundamental frequency of its vibration?

15. The A string on a cello vibrates in its first normal mode with a frequency of
220 Hz. The vibrating segment is 70.0 cm long and has a mass of 1.20 g. (a)
Find the tension in the string. (b) Determine the frequency of vibration when
the string vibrates in three segments.
16. Two train whistles have identical frequencies of 180 Hz. When one train is at
rest in the station and the other is moving nearby, a commuter standing on the
station platform hears beats with a frequency of 2.00 beats/s when the
whistles operate together. What are the two possible speeds and directions
the moving train can have?
17. An object of mass m hangs in equilibrium from a string with a total length L
and a linear mass density m. The string is wrapped around two light,
frictionless pulleys that are separated by a distance d (Fig. P18.85a).
(a) Determine the tension in the string. (b) At what frequency must the string
between the pulleys vibrate to form the standing-wave pattern shown in Figure
P18.85b?

18. A tuning fork with a frequency of f = 512 Hz is placed near the top of the
tube shown in Figure P18.44. The water level is lowered so that the length L
slowly increases from an initial value of 20.0 cm. Determine the next two
values of L that correspond to resonant modes.
19. As shown in Figure P18.49, water is pumped into a tall, vertical cylinder at a
volume flow rate R. The radius of the cylinder is r, and at the open top of the
cylinder a tuning fork is vibrating with a frequency f. As the water rises, what
time interval elapses between successive resonances?

20. Consider the apparatus shown in Figure P18.87a, where the hanging object
has mass M and the string is vibrating in its second harmonic. The vibrating
blade at the left maintains a constant frequency. The wind begins to blow to
the right, applying a constant horizontal force F on the hanging object. What is
the magnitude of the force the wind must apply to the hanging object so that
the string vibrates in its first harmonic as shown in Figure 18.87b?