# Beat Frequency of tuning forks

1. Dec 10, 2013

### contrivance

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Two tuning forks, first fork has freqency of f = 273Hz. The beat frequency is 3.00Hz. What is the frequency of the second fork?

2. Relevant equations

$$f_{beat} = |f_1 - f_2|$$

3. The attempt at a solution

This was a question on my Physics I exam today, and my prof is known for having 'tricky' conceptual questions on his exams.

This concept is pretty simple, if you have two different frequencies, the Beat frequency is the difference between the two. So for this problem, the second fork could either be 276Hz or 270Hz.

Although that is true, (i don't think) enough information was given to actually be able to know the answer.

A few of the choices from the question were:

A) 270Hz
B-E) a bunch of other frequencies, and none were 276Hz
F) "Not enough information given"

I picked F). Although, my classmates picked 270Hz for the reason that "It was a choice, and 276Hz wasn't".
I don't believe that's a valid way to go about finding the solution, so I think they're wrong.

However, It will be (about a week) before I could get the results/answers for this exam so I'm asking here to see what everyone else thinks?

2. Dec 11, 2013

### ehild

F: not enough information given. The other frequency may be or may not be 270 Hz, and you cannot decide.

ehild