Waves and Sound

Nature of Waves

(i) Transverse Waves: A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate at right
angles to the direction of propagation of wave, is called a transverse wave.

(ii) Longitudinal Waves: A wave in which the particles of the medium vibrate in the
same direction in which wave is propagating, is called a longitudinal wave.

frequency (f)
1
f=
T ime period(T )

Its SI unit is hertz

2¼
Angular frequency, !=
T
¡1
Its SI unit is rad s

Velocity of wave
The distance travelled by a wave in one second is called velocity of the wave ( v ).

v = f¸ wave length

v
Frequency

Sound Waves

Sound is a form energy which produces a sensation of hearing in our ears. Sound waves are longitudinal in nature.

Sound waves are of three types

(i) Infrasonic Waves : The sound waves of frequency range 0 to 20 Hz are called infrasonic waves. 168
(ii) Audible Waves : The sound waves of frequency range 20 Hz to 20000 Hz are called audible waves.
(iii) Ultrasonic Waves : The sound waves of frequency greater than 20000 Hz are called ultrasonic waves.

Sound waves require medium for their propagation. Sound waves can travel through any material medium (i.e. solids, liquid and gases) with
speed that depends on the properties of the medium.

Sound waves cannot propagate through vacuum.

If v , v and v are speed of sound waves in solid, liquid and gases, then v > v >v
s e g s e g
Sound waves (longitudinal waves) can reflect, refract, interfere and diffract but cannot be polarised as only transverse waves can
polarised.
 Velocity of Longitudinal (Sound) Waves
s
E coefficient of elasticity of medium
v=
½ density of medium

Newton’s Formula
According to Newton, the propagation of longitudinal waves in a gas is an isothermal process. Therefore, velocity of longitudinal (sound)
waves in gas s s
ET P
v= =
½ ½

E is the isothermal coefficient of volume elasticity and it is equal to the pressure of the gas.
T
Laplace’s Correction

According to Laplace, the propagation of longitudinal wave is an adiabatic process. Therefore, velocity of longitudinal (sound) wave in
gas should be s s
Es °P
v= =
½ ½

E is the adiabatic coefficient of volume elasticity and it is equal to p.

S

i Factors Affecting Velocity of Longitudinal (Sound) Wave

(i) Effect of Pressure : there is no effect of pressure on velocity of longitudinal wave.

(ii) Effect of Temperature :

r r
°p RT
v= =
pp M
v® T

If v And v are velocities of sound in air at 0°C and t°C, then

o t
vt = v0 + 0:61t

(iii) Effect of Density:

1
v ®p
½ density of gas

(iv) Effect of Humidity: The velocity of sound increases with increase in humidity in air. Thus, speed of sound in moist air is slightly
greater than in dry air.
 Speed of Transverse Motion

on stretched string
r
T Tension in the string
v=
m
i mass per unit length of string

speed of transverse wave in solid

r
´ modulus of rigidity
v=
½ density of solid

Plane Progressive Simple Harmonic Wave

µ ¶ y = displacement, a = amplitude of vibration of particle,

Y f ar bt
t x
y = a sin 2¼ ¡ ¸ = wavelength of wave, T = time period of wave, areCtve
T ¸
or x = distance of particle from the origin btl ve
2¼
y = a sin (vt ¡ x) v = velocity of wave.
areC ve tray
JJ
¸
btw

Important Relation Related to Equation of Progressive Wave

wave velocity
! 2¼ I 41
v = ; [k = ]
k ¸
Angular wave number

wavelength
2¼ 2¼
¸= =
Coef f icient of x k

Time period
2¼ 2¼
¸= =
Coef f icient of t !

frequency
Coef f icient of t !
¸= =
2¼ 2¼

Particle velocity
µ ¶µ ¶
dy t x 2¼
vp = = a cos 2¼ ¡
dt T ¸ T
µ ¶
2¼
(vp)max = a = a!
T

Phase of the vibration is the angle of sine in equation of plane progressive wave. It is denoted by Á.
µ ¶
t x
Á = 2¼ ¡
T ¸
Relation between phase difference, path difference and time difference

2¼ 2¼
¢Á = ¢x 08 ¢Á = ¢t
¸ T
It BE
Energy density (u)
The energy density is defined as the total mechanical energy (kinetic + potential) per unit volume of the medium through which the wave is
passing.
1 2 2
u= ½! A
2

Power (P)
P = Energy density x volume

1 1
= P ! 2 A2 £ Sv = P ! 2 A2 Sv distance travelled by wave
2 2

Area of Cross section

Intensity (I)

I = Power = P

Area of Cross section S

1
I=
2
P ! 2 A2 v I LAZf E

Superposition of Waves
Two or more progressive waves can travel simultaneously in the medium without effecting the motion of one another. Therefore,
resultant displacement of each particle of the medium at any instant is equal to vector sum of the displacements produced by two
waves separately. This principle is called principle of superposition.

Interference
I I Ez 222 cosof
Constructive Interference
Phase difference between two waves = 0; 2¼; 4¼

Maximum amplitude = (a + b)
2
Intensity (Amplitude)2 (a + b)
mad
p
In general, Amplitude = a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Á
 Destructive Interference
Phase difference between two waves = ¼; 3¼; 5¼

minimum Amplitude= (a ¡ b)
2
Intensity (Amplitude)2 (a ¡ b)
mind

Beats
When two sound waves of nearly equal frequencies are produced simultaneously, then intensity of the resultant sound produced by
their superposition increases and decreases alternately with time. This rise and fall intensity of sound is called beats.

The number of maxima or minima heard in one second is called beats frequency.

Number of beats Heard per second = n I -n

2
= Difference of frequencies of two waves

For loudness, time intervals are

1 2
; ; :::::
n1 ¡ n2 n1 ¡ n2

Reflection of Wave
The rebouncing back of waves when it strikes a hard surface is called reflection of wave.

If equation of incident travelling wave is

y( x , t ) = a sin ( kx - wt )

Equation of reflected wave

y( x , t ) = a sin ( kx + wt )

Stationary or Standing Waves

When two similar waves propagate in a bounded medium in opposite directions, then due to their superposition a new type of wave is
obtained, which appears stationary in the medium. This wave is called stationary or standing waves.

Equation of stationary wave, y = 2a sin

2¼t 2¼x
cos
T ¸

Nodes ( N ) and antinodes (A) are obtained alternatively in a stationary waves.

Position of Nodes
Nodes are the points on the string where the amplitude of oscillation of constituents is zero.

n¸
x= ; n = 0; 1; 2 : : :
2

Position of Antinodes
Antinodes are the points where the amplitude of oscillation of the constituents is maximum.

for maximum amplitude sin kx = ± 1

¸
x = (2n + 1) ; n = 0; 1; 2 : : :
4

Vibrations in a Stretched String

Vibrations of a String Fixed at One End

v
Fundamental frequency of vibration or first harmonic is n0 =
4l
3v
Frequency of third harmonic, n = = 3v0
I 4l
5v
Frequency of fifth harmonic, n = = 5n0
2 4l

n : n : n = 1: 3 :5
o n z

Standing Waves in a String Fixed at Both Ends

r
v 1 T
Fundamental frequency or frequency of first harmonic n1 =
2l
=
2l m

v
Frequency of first overtone or second harmonic n2 = 2 ¢ = 2n1
2l
v
Frequency of second overtone or third harmonic n3 = 3 ¢
2l
= 3n1

n1 : n2 : n3 : : : = 1 : 2 : 3 : : :

Organ Pipes

Open at Both Ends :

nc speed of Sound
v=
2l

c
fundamental frequency, v0 = 2l

possible frequency, v0; 2v0; 3v0:::::

Closed at one end:
(2n ¡ 1)c
v=
4l

c
fundamental frequency , v0 =
4l

possible frequency,
v0; 3v0; 5v0:::::

Doppler’s Effect

µ ¶
0
v =v
c ¡ Vo
c ¡ Vs tto.IE
V , V are positive if they are directed from source to the observer. They are taken as
o s
negative if they are directed from observer to source. In other words, we will assume that the
direction from source to the observer is the positive direction.

If the medium is moving relative to the ground, the speed of the sound will be taken as
c + V (Vm is the speed of the medium). Again note that Vm will be positive if the medium
m
is moving from source to the observer.
So in general the apparent frequency is :
µ ¶
c + Vm ¡ Vo
v0 = v
c + Vm ¡ Vs

É d
fo f VII to

us to
to
t f III

thankyou