SurfaceWaves

Thewavesontheoceanaresurfacewaves:Theyoccurattheinterfaceofwaterandair,extending
downintothewaterandupintotheairattheexpenseofbecomingexponentiallyreducedinamplitude.
Theyareneithertransversenorlongitudinal.Thewaterbothatandbelowthesurfacetravelsinvertical
circles,withexponentiallysmallerradiusasafunctionofdepth.
Bothempiricalmeasurementsandcalculationsbeyondthescopeofintroductoryphysicsgivethe
propagationspeedofwaterwavesas

,
where

isthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravityand isthewavenumber.

Thisrelationshipappliesonlywhenthefollowingthreeconditionshold:
1.
2.
3.

Thewaterisseveraltimesdeeperthanthewavelength.
Thewavelengthislargeenoughthatthesurfacetensionofthewavescanbeneglected.
Theratioofwaveheighttowavelengthissmall.

Therestoringforce(analogoustothetensioninastring)thatrestoresthewatersurfacetoflatnessis
duetogravity,whichexplainswhythesewavesareoftencalled"gravitywaves."

A. Findthespeed ofwaterwavesintermsofthewavelength .
Expressthespeedintermsof , ,and .
= sqrt(g*lambda/(2*pi))
B. Findthespeed ofawaveofwavelength

Giveyouranswerinmeterspersecondtoaprecisionoftwosignificantfigures.
= 3.5(+/2%) m/s

C. Findtheperiod forawaveofwavelength .
Expresstheperiodintermsof , ,and .
= sqrt(2*pi*lambda/g)

D. OntheEastCoastoftheUnitedStates,theNationalWeatherServicefrequentlyreportswaves
withaperiodof4.0s.Findthewavelength andspeed ofthesewaves.
Expressyouranswersnumericallyasanorderedpairseparatedbyacomma.Givean
accuracyoftwosignificantfigures.
, = 25(+/3%) , 6.25(+/1.5%) m,m/s

E.

OntheWestCoastoftheUnitedStates,theNationalWeatherServicefrequentlyreports
waves(reallyswells)withaperiodof15s.Findthewavelength andspeed ofthesewaves.

Expressyouranswersnumericallyasanorderedpairseparatedbyacomma.Givean
accuracyoftwosignificantfigures.
, = 350(+/2%) , 23(+/4%) m,m/s
[Print]

StandardExpressionforaTravelingWave
LearningGoal:Tounderstandthestandardformulaforasinusoidaltravelingwave.
Oneformulaforawavewithaydisplacement(e.g.,ofastring)travelinginthexdirectionis
.
Allthequestionsinthisproblemrefertothisformulaandtothewaveitdescribes.
A. Whichofthefollowingareindependentvariables?
only
only
only
only
only
and
and
and and
B. Whichofthefollowingareparametersthatdeterminethecharacteristicsofthewave?
only
only
only
only
only
and
and
and and

C. Whatisthephase

ofthewave?

Expressthephaseintermsofoneormoregivenvariables( , , , ,and )andany

neededconstantslike .
= k*xomega*t

D. Whatisthewavelength ofthewave?
Expressthewavelengthintermsofoneormoregivenvariables( , , , ,and )and
anyneededconstantslike .
= 2*pi/k

E. Whatistheperiod ofthiswave?
Expresstheperiodintermsofoneormoregivenvariables( , , , ,and )andany
neededconstantslike .
= 2*pi/omega

F. Whatisthespeedofpropagation ofthiswave?
Expressthespeedofpropagationintermsofoneormoregivenvariables(
and )andanyneededconstantslike .

, , , ,

= omega/k
[Print]

AntonaTightrope
Alargeantisstandingonthemiddleofacircustightropethatisstretchedwithtension .Therope
hasmassperunitlength .Wantingtoshaketheantofftherope,atightropewalkermovesherfootup
anddownneartheendofthetightrope,generatingasinusoidaltransversewaveofwavelength and
amplitude .Assumethatthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravityis .

A. Whatistheminimumwaveamplitude

suchthattheantwillbecomemomentarily
weightlessatsomepointasthewavepassesunderneathit?Assumethatthemassoftheantis
toosmalltohaveanyeffectonthewavepropagation.
Expresstheminimumwaveamplitudeintermsof

, , ,and .

= mu*(lambda/(2*pi))^2*g/T_s
[Print]

BreakingStormWaves

Largewavesonthedeepoceanpropagateatthespeed

,
where isthemagnitudeoftheaccelerationduetogravityand isthewavenumber.
Seafaringmarinersreportthatingreatstormswhentheaveragepeaktopeakwaveheightbecomes
about1/7ofthewavelength,thetopsofthelargestoceanwavescanbecomeseparatedfromtherestof
thewave.Theyclaimthatthewindandthewave'sforwardvelocitycausehuge"hunks"ofwaterto

tumbledownthefaceofthewave.Somearereportedlylargeenoughtodamageorcapsizesmall
vessels.
Thereasonthese"roguewaves"appearisthattheamplitudeofthewaterwavesbecomessolargethat
theaccelerationofthewaterinthetopofthewavewouldhavetobegreaterthan forthewavetostay
inonepiece.Becausegravityistheonlysignificantverticalforceonthewater,theaccelerationcannot
exceed ,soinsteadthewateratthetopofthewavebreaksoffandisblowndownthesideofthe
wave.
Inthisproblem,youwillcomputetheratioofamplitudetowavelengthofaroguewave.
Theanalyticexpressionfortheverticaldisplacementofthewatersurfacewhenanoceanwaveof
amplitude ispropagatinginthe+xdirectionis
.
A. Findtheangularfrequency ofwaterwaves.
Expresstheangularfrequencyintermsofthewavenumber andconstantslike and .
= sqrt(g*k)
B.

Findtheverticalacceleration

ofthiswaveatposition andtime .

Expresstheverticalaccelerationintermsof , , , ,andtheindependentvariables and

.
= A*omega^2*cos(k*xomega*t)
C.

Nowfindthecriticalratioof to suchthatthiswavewillhaveamaximumacceleration
atthetopof
.Thenthewateratthetopwouldhavetoacceleratefasterthan tostay
connectedwiththewave,whichisclearlynotpossible!
Express

asafunctionof andconstantslike and .

1/(2*pi)
[Print]

WhytheHighestPianoNotesHaveShortStrings
Thesteelusedforpianowirehasabreaking(tensile)strength
of

ofabout

andadensity

A. Whatisthespeed ofawavetravelingdownsuchawireifthewireisstretchedtoits
breakingpoint?
Expressthespeedofthewavenumerically,inmeterspersecond,tothenearestinteger.

= 620(+/0.1%) m/s

B. ImaginethatthewiredescribedintheproblemintroductionisusedforthehighestCona
piano(
).Ifthewireisintunewhenstretchedtoitsbreakingpoint,whatmust
thevibratinglengthofthewirebe?
Expressthelengthnumerically,incentimeters,usingthreesignificantfigures.
= 7.75(+/0.1%) cm
[Print]

CreatingaStandingWave
LearningGoal:Toseehowtwotravelingwavesofthesamefrequencycreateastandingwave.
Consideratravelingwavedescribedbytheformula
.
Thisfunctionmightrepresentthelateraldisplacementofastring,thelocalelectricfield,thepositionof
thesurfaceofthewater,ormanyotherphysicalmanifestationsofwaves.
A. Whichoneofthefollowingstatementsaboutthiswaveiscorrect?
Thiswaveistravelinginthe+xdirection.
Thiswaveistravelinginthexdirection.
Thiswaveisoscillatingbutnottraveling.
Thiswaveistravelingbutnotoscillating.

B. Whatisthemathematicalexpression
travelingintheoppositedirection?Attime
displacementas

forawaveofthesameamplitudethatis
thisnewwaveshouldhavethesame

,thewavedescribedintheproblemintroduction.

Theprincipleofsuperpositionstatesthatiftwofunctionseachseparatelysatisfythewaveequation
thenthesum(ordifference)alsosatisfiesthewaveequation.Thisprinciplefollowsfromthefactthat
everyterminthewaveequationislinearintheamplitudeofthewave.
Considerthesumofthesetwowaves
sumcanbewrittenasfollows:

.Thesewaveshavebeenchosensothattheir
.

Thisformissignificantbecause
calledtheenvelopedependsonlyonposition,and
dependsonlyontime.Traditionally,thetimefunctionistakentobeatrigonometricfunctionwithunit
amplitude;thatis,theoverallamplitudeofthewaveiswrittenaspartof

A. Find
and
amplitude.

.Rememberthat

shouldbeatrigonometricfunctionofunit

Expressyouranswersintermsof , , , ,and .Separatethetwofunctionswitha

comma.
,

= 2*A*sin(k*x) , cos(omega*t)

B. Whichoneofthefollowingstatementsaboutthesuperpositionwave

iscorrect?

Thiswaveistravelinginthe+xdirection.
Thiswaveistravelinginthexdirection.
Thiswaveisoscillatingbutnottraveling.
Thiswaveistravelingbutnotoscillating.
C.

Attheposition
wave

,whatisthedisplacementofthestring(assumingthatthestanding

ispresent)?

Expressyouranswerintermsofparametersgivenintheintroduction.
= 0
D. Atcertaintimes,thestringwillbeperfectlystraight.Findthefirsttime

whenthisistrue.

Express intermsof , ,andnecessaryconstants.

= pi/(2*omega)
E.

Fromthepreviouspartweknowthatthestringisperfectlystraightattime
.What
doesthisimplyabouttheenergystoredinthestring?
a. Thereisnoenergystoredinthestringthestringwillremainstraightforall
subsequenttime.
b. Energywillflowintothestring,causingthestandingwavetoformatalatertime.
c.
d.

Althoughthestringisstraightattime
,partsofthestringhavenonzero
velocity.Therefore,thereisenergystoredinthestring.
Thetotalmechanicalenergyinthestringoscillatesbutisconstantifaveragedovera
completecycle.
a

d
[Print]

NodesofaStandingWave(Cosine)
LearningGoal:Tounderstandtheconceptofnodesofastandingwave.
Thenodesofastandingwavearepointswherethedisplacementofthewaveiszeroatalltimes.Nodes
areimportantformatchingboundaryconditions,forexamplethatthepointatwhichastringistiedtoa
supporthaszerodisplacementatalltimes(i.e.,thepointofattachmentdoesnotmove).
Considerastandingwave,where representsthetransversedisplacementofastringthatextendsalong
thexdirection.Hereisacommonmathematicalformforsuchawave:

where isthemaximumtransversedisplacementofthestring(theamplitudeofthewave),whichis
assumedtobenonzero, isthewavenumber, istheangularfrequencyofthewave,and istime.

A. Whichoneofthefollowingstatementsaboutwave

iscorrect?

Thiswaveistravelingtoward+x.
Thiswaveistravelingtowardx.
Thiswaveisoscillatingbutnottraveling.
Thiswaveistravelingbutnotoscillating.

B. Attime

,whatisthedisplacementofthestring

Expressyouranswerintermsof , ,andotherpreviouslyintroducedquantities.
= 0

C. Whatisthedisplacementofthestringasafunctionof attime

,where istheperiodof

oscillationofthestring?
Expressthedisplacementintermsofthegivenvariables.
=

A*cos(k*x)

D. Atwhichthreepoints , ,and closestto

thestring

butwith

willthedisplacementof

bezeroforalltimes?Thesearethefirstthreenodalpoints.

Expressthefirstthreenonzeronodalpointsasmultiplesofthewavelength ,using
constantslike .Listtheminincreasingorder,separatedbycommas.
,

= 1/4 , 3/4 , 5/4

[Print]

TheDecibelScale
LearningGoal:Tounderstandthedecibelscale.
Thedecibelscaleisalogarithmicscaleformeasuringthesoundintensitylevel.Becausethedecibel
scaleislogarithmic,itchangesbyanadditiveconstantwhentheintensityasmeasuredin
changesbyamultiplicativefactor.Thenumberofdecibelsincreasesby10forafactorof10increase
inintensity.Thegeneralformulaforthesoundintensitylevel,indecibels,correspondingtointensity
is

where isareferenceintensity.Forsoundwaves, istakentobe

tothelogarithmtothebase10.

.Notethat

refers

A. Whatisthesoundintensitylevel ,indecibels,ofasoundwavewhoseintensityis10times
thereferenceintensity(i.e.,

)?

Expressthesoundintensitynumericallytothenearestinteger.
= 10 dB

B. Whatisthesoundintensitylevel ,indecibels,ofasoundwavewhoseintensityis100times
thereferenceintensity(i.e.

)?

Expressthesoundintensitynumericallytothenearestinteger.
= 20 dB
Oneoftenneedstocomputethechangeindecibelscorrespondingtoachangeinthephysicalintensity
measuredinunitsofpowerperunitarea.Take tobethefactorofincreaseofthephysicalintensity.

A. Calculatethechangeindecibels(

,and

)correspondingto

,and

.
Giveyouranswers,separatedbycommas,tothenearestintegerthiswillgivean
accuracyof20%,whichisgoodenoughforsound.

= 3 , 6 , 9 dB

EarDamagefromaSmallFirecracker
LearningGoal:Tounderstandhowtoconvertbetweendifferentsoundintensityscalesandhowthe
decibelintensityofasoundchangeswithdistance.
Thedecibelscaleislogarithmicinintensity:

.
Inthisformula, isareferenceintensity,which,forsoundwaves,istakentobe
.This
constantmustbeusedtoconvertaparticularphysicalintensityintoasoundintensitylevelmeasuredin
decibels.
Onceweknowthesoundintensitylevel(indecibels)atacertainreferencedistancefromasound
source,the
decreaseofintensitywithdistancecanbeaccountedforbysubtractingthedecibel
valueappropriatetotheratioofthenewdistancetothereferencedistance.
Inthisproblemyouwillusethedecibelscaletoanalyzeasmallfirecrackerthatemits1200Wofpeak
power.Toavoidconfusion,intensitiesdenotedby areinunitsofwattspermetersquared;intensities
denotedby areinunitsofdecibels.

A. Whatisthepeakintensity indecibelsatadistanceof1mfromthefirecracker?
Express indecibelstothenearestinteger.
= 140 dB

B.

Ittakesasoundintensityofabout160dBtorupturethehumaneardrum.Howclosemust
thefirecrackerdescribedintheintroductionbetotheeartorupturetheeardrum?
Expressthedistance

,inmeters,toonedecimalplace.

= 0.1(+/9%) m

C.

Willthisfirecrackerproducetemporarylossofhearinginsomeonewhosetsifoffand
stands3mawayfromtheexplosion?Momentarysoundsabove120dBproducesuchloss.
yes

no
[Print]

DopplerShift
LearningGoal:TounderstandthetermsintheDopplershiftformula.
TheDopplershiftformulagivesthefrequency
sourceSatfrequency

atwhichalistenerLhearsthesoundemittedbya

,
where isthespeedofsoundinthemedium, isthevelocityofthelistener,and
source.
A. Thevelocityofthesourceispositiveifthesourceis______________.
travelinginthe+xdirection
travelingtowardthelistener
travelingawayfromthelistener

B.

Thevelocityofthesourceismeasuredwithrespecttothe________.
medium(suchasairorwater)
listener

C.

Thevelocityofthelistenerispositiveifthelisteneris_____________.
travelinginthe+xdirection
travelingtowardthesource
travelingawayfromthesource

D.

Thevelocityofthelistenerismeasuredwithrespecttothe________.
source
medium

isthevelocityof

E. Imaginethatthesourceistotherightofthelistener,sothatthepositivereferencedirection
(fromthelistenertothesource)isinthe
does

direction.Ifthelistenerisstationary,whatvalue

approachasthesource'sspeedapproachesthespeedofsoundmovingtotheright?

Itapproachesinfinity.

F. Now,imaginethatthesourceistotheleftofthelistener,sothatthepositivereference
directionisinthe

direction.Ifthesourceisstationary,whatvaluedoes

thelistener'sspeed(movinginthe

approachas

direction)approachesthespeedofsound?

Itapproachesinfinity.

G. Inthislastcase,imaginethatthelistenerisstationaryandthesourceismovingtowardthe
listeneratthespeedofsound.(Notethatitisirrelevantwhetherthesourceismovingtothe
rightortotheleft.)Whatis
0

Itapproachesinfinity.

whenthesoundwavesreachthelistener?