Lecture 5

Ch17. Longitudinal Waves

University Physics: Waves and Electricity

Dr.-Ing. Erwin Sitompul
http://zitompul.wordpress.com
2016
 Homework 4: Two Speakers
Two speakers separated by distance d1
= 2 m are in phase. A listener observes
at distance d2 = 3.75 m directly in front
of one speaker. Consider the full audible
range for normal human hearing, 20 Hz
to 20 kHz. Sound velocity is 343 m/s.

(a) What is the lowest frequency fmin,1 that gives minimum

signal (destructive interference) at the listeners ear?
(b) What is the second lowest frequency fmin,2 that gives
minimum signal?
(c) What is the lowest frequency fmax,1 that gives maximum
signal (constructive interference) at the listeners ear?
(d) What is the highest frequency fmax,n that gives maximum
signal?

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/2

 Solution of Homework 4: Two Speakers

(d3 ) 2 (d1 ) 2 (d 2 ) 2
d3 d3 (2) 2 (3.75) 2 4.25 m

L d3 d 2 4.25 3.75 0.5 m

vsound f , vsound 343 m s

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/3

 Solution of Homework 4: Two Speakers
(a) What is the lowest frequency fmin,1 that gives minimum
signal (destructive interference) at the listeners ear?
Fully destructive vsound
interference f min 0.5,1.5, 2.5,
L
L
0.5,1.5, 2.5,
343
0.5,1.5, 2.5,
0.5
L 686 Hz 0.5,1.5, 2.5,
0.5,1.5, 2.5,
vsound f min
f min,1 686 Hz 0.5 343 Hz

(b) What is the second lowest frequency fmin,2 that gives

minimum signal?
f min 686 Hz 0.5,1.5, 2.5,
f min,2 686 Hz 1.5 1029 Hz

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/4

 Solution of Homework 4: Two Speakers
(c) What is the lowest frequency fmax,1 that gives maximum
signal (constructive interference) at the listeners ear?
Fully constructive vsound
interference f max 0,1, 2,
L
L
0,1, 2,
343
0,1, 2,
0.5
L 686 Hz 0,1, 2,
0,1, 2,
vsound f max
f max,1 686 Hz 1 686 Hz

(d) What is the lowest frequency fmax,1 that gives maximum

signal (constructive interference) at the listeners ear?
f max 686 Hz 0,1, 2,
f max,n 686 Hz 29 19894 Hz Highest constructive
frequency that still can be
listened by human, < 20 kHz

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/5

 Beats
If two sounds whose
frequencies are nearly equal
reach our ears simulta-
neously, what we hear is a
sound whose frequency is
the average of the two
combining frequencies.
We also hear a striking
variation in the intensity of
this sound it increases and
decreases in slow, wavering
beats that repeat at a
frequency equal to the
difference between the two
combining frequencies.

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 Beats
Let the time-dependent variations of the displacements due to
two sound waves of equal amplitude sm be
s1 ( x, t ) sm cos(k1 x 1t )
s2 ( x, t ) sm cos(k2 x 2t )
From superposition principle, the resultant displacement is:
s( x, t ) sm cos(k1 x 1t ) sm cos(k2 x 2t )
k
2sm cos(kx t ) cos( x t)
2 2
k
2sm cos( x t ) cos(kx t ) k k1 k2
2 2
k 12 (k1 k2 ) k
1 2
Amplitude Oscillating term,
modulation, a traveling wave, 12 (1 2 )
depends on depends on k and
k/2 and /2
cos cos 2cos 12 ( ) cos 12 ( )
Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/7
 Beats
k 1 2
s( x, t ) 2sm cos( x t ) cos(kx t ) ampl
2 2 2 2
f f1 f 2
f ampl
2 2

f beat 2 f ampl f1 f 2
In 1 amplitude cycle, we
will hear 2 beats
(maximum amplitude
cos(kx t ) magnitude)
The "beat" wave
oscillates with the
frequency average, and
its amplitude varies
according to the
frequency difference

k
cos( x t)
2 2

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/8

 Example: Beats
The A string of a violin is not properly tuned. Beats at 4 per
second are heard when the string is sounded together with a
tuning fork that is oscillating accurately at concert A (440 Hz).
(a) What are the possible frequencies produced by the string?
f beat f1 f 2
f beat fstring ffork
4 fstring 440 fstring 436 Hz or 444 Hz

(b) If the string is stretched a little bit more, beats at 5 per

second are heard. Which of the possible frequencies are
the the frequency of the string?
A string is stretched tighter The frequency will be higher
The frequency of beats increases The frequency difference
increases
If the string frequency becomes higher and its difference to
440 Hz increases The frequency of the string is 444 Hz.

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/9

 The Doppler Effect
The Doppler Effect deals with the relation between motion
and frequency.
The body of air is taken as the reference frame.
We measure the speeds of a sound source S and a sound
detector D relatif to that body of air.
We shall assume that S and D move either directly toward or
directly away from each other, at speeds less than the speed
of sound (vsound = 343 m/s).

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/10

 The Doppler Effect: D Moving S Stationary
If the detector moves toward the source, the number of
wavefronts received by the detector increased.
The motion increases the detected frequency.
If the detector moves away from the source, the number of
wavefronts received by the detector decreased.
The motion decreases the detected frequency.

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/11

 The Doppler Effect: S Moving D Stationary
If the source moves toward the detector, the wavefronts is
compressed. The number of wavefronts received by the
detector increased.
The motion increases the detected frequency.
If the source moves away from the detector, the distance
between wavefronts increases. The number of wavefronts
received by the detector decreased
The motion decreases the detected frequency.

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/12

 The Doppler Effect
The emitted frequency f and the detected frequency f are
related by:
v vD
f f
v vS
where v is the speed of sound through the air, vD is the
detectors speed relative to the air, and vS is the sources
speed relative to the air.
+ The detector moves
toward the source
The detector moves away
v vD
from the source
f f
v vS
The source moves
toward the detector
+ The source moves away
from the detector
Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/13
 Checkpoint
The figure indicates the directions of motion of a sound source
and a detector for six situations in stationary air. For each
situation, is the detected frequency greater than or less than
the emitted frequency, or cant we tell without more information
about the actual speeds?

Source Detector Source Detector

(a) (d)
zero speed
Greater Need more
information
(b) (e)
zero speed
Less Greater

(c) (f)
Need more Less
information

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/14

 Example: The Doppler Effect
A toy rocket flies with a velocity of 242 m/s toward a
mast while emitting a roaring sound with frequency
1250 Hz. The sound velocity is 343 m/s.

(a) What is the frequency heard by an observer who

is standing at the mast?
f 1250 Hz
vS 242 m s, v vD 343 0
f f 1250 4245 Hz
toward D v vS 343 242
vD 0

(b) A fraction of the soundwaves is reflected by the mast and

propagates back to the rocket. What is the frequency
detected by a detector mounted on the head of the rocket?
f 4245 Hz v vD 343 242
vS 0 f f 4245 7240 Hz
vD 242 m s, v vS 343 0
toward S
Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/15
 Supersonic Speeds
v
Mach Number
vsound

vsource = vsound vsource > vsound

(Mach 1 - sound barrier) (Mach 1.4 - supersonic)
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 Homework 5: Ambulance Siren
An ambulance with a siren emitting a whine at 1600 Hz
overtakes and passes a cyclist pedaling a bike at 8 m/s. After
being passed, the cyclist hears a frequency of 1590 Hz.
(a) How fast is the ambulance moving?
(b) What frequency did the cyclist hear before being overtaken
by the ambulance?

Illustration only
Concorde, the supersonic
turbojet-powered supersonic
passenger airliner
Average cruise speed
Mach 2.02 or about 2495 km/h

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/17

 Homework 5A: Bat and Insect
1. An iron bar produces sound with a frequency of 335 Hz when struck.
When the iron bar is struck together with a steel bar, beats with a
frequency of 5.5 Hz will be heard. A piece of thread is then tied to the iron
bar and its frequency is lowered slightly. When struck at the same time
again, both the iron and steel bars now produce a beat with frequency of
8.2 Hz.
(a) What is the frequency of the iron bar after the thread is tied to it?
(b) What is the frequency of the steel bar?

2. (a) A stationary observer hears a frequency of

560 Hz from an approaching car. After the car
passes, the observed frequency is 460 Hz.
What is the speed of the car? (speed of sound
is air is 343 m/s.)
(b) A bat, moving at 5 m/s, is chasing a flying
insect. If the bat emits a 40 kHz chirp and
receives back an echo at 40.4 kHz, at what
speed is the insect moving toward or away
from the bat?

Erwin Sitompul University Physics: Wave and Electricity 5/18