Oscillations and Waves

Physics 100 Chapt 8

Equilibrium (Fnet = 0)
Examples of unstable Equilibrium
Examples of Stable equilibrium
Destabilizing forces
NF = 0
net

W
Destabilizing forces
N Fnet = away from equil

W
 Destabilizing forces

Fnet = away from equil

N

destabilizing forces always push the

system further away from equilibrium
restoring forces

N
Fnet = 0
restoring forces

N
Fnet = toward equil.
 restoring forces

N
Fnet = toward equil.

Restoring forces always push

the system back toward equilibrium
 Pendulum

W
Mass on a spring
 Displacement vs time
Displaced systems oscillate
around stable equil. points

amplitude

Equil. point

period (=T)
 Simple harmonic motion
Pure Sine-like curve

Equil. point

T= period = time for 1 complete oscillation

f = frequency = # of oscillations/time = 1/T

 Masses on springs

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Not all oscillations are nice Sine
curves

Equil. point
T

f=1/T
 Natural frequency

f= (1/2p)g/l f= (1/2p)k/m
 Driven oscillators
natural freq. = f0

f = 0.4f0 f = 1.1f0 f = 1.6f0

Resonance (f=f0)
 Waves

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Wave in a string

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

Pulsed Sound Wave
Harmonic sound wave
Harmonic sound wave
 Harmonic wave
Wave speed
Shake end of wavelength
string up & down
with SHM period = T =l =v

distance wavelength l
Wave speed =v= = = = fl
time period
T
V=fl or f=V/ l but 1/T=f
 Reflection (from a fixed end)

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Reflection (from a loose end)

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Adding waves
pulsed waves

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Adding waves
Two waves in same direction with
slightly different frequencies

Wave 1

Wave 2

resultant wave

“Beats”

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Adding waves
harmonic waves in opposite directions

incident wave

reflected wave

resultant wave
(standing wave)

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University

 Confined waves

Only waves with wavelengths that just fit in survive

(all others cancel themselves out)
Allowed frequencies
l= 2L f0=V/l = V/2L
Fundamental tone

l=L f1=V/l = V/L=2f0

1st overtone
l=(2/3)L f2=V/l=V/(2/3)L=3f0
2nd overtone

l=L/2 f3=V/l=V/(1/2)L=4f0
3rd overtone

l=(2/5)L f4=V/l=V/(2/5)L=5f0
4th overtone
Ukuleles, etc
l0 = L/2; f0 = V/2L
l1= L; f1 = V/L =2f0
l2= 2L/3; f2 = 3f0
L l3= L/2; f3 = 4f0

Etc…

(V depends on the
Tension & thickness
Of the string)
Doppler effect
Sound wave stationary source

Wavelength same in all directions

 Sound wave moving source
Wavelength in forward
direction is shorter
(frequency is higher)

Wavelength in backward
direction is longer
(frequency is higher)
Waves from a stationary source

Wavelength same in all directions

 Waves from a moving source
v
Wavelength in backward
direction is longer
Wavelength in forward
(frequency is higher)
direction is shorter
(frequency is higher)
surf
Folsom prison blues
Confined waves