Help on my Final: Thermodynamics, optics, waves

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics final exam covering topics in thermodynamics, optics, and waves, with a focus on wave mechanics and standing waves. The original poster presents a complex word problem involving wave speed, frequency, and standing wave characteristics on a string.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the original poster's attempts to calculate wave speed and frequency, with some providing corrections and clarifications regarding the equations used.
  • Questions about the characteristics of standing waves, such as the number of nodes and antinodes, are raised.
  • There is a mention of the need to manipulate wave equations and the standard forms for traveling and standing waves.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered guidance on specific calculations and concepts, while the original poster expresses uncertainty about several parts of the problem. Multiple interpretations of the wave equations and their applications are being explored, indicating an ongoing dialogue without explicit consensus.

Contextual Notes

The original poster indicates a lack of understanding in physics, which may affect their ability to engage with the problem effectively. There are also constraints related to the urgency of preparing for an upcoming final exam.

kooaznboi1088
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Hey I'm a junior this year and physics finals are coming up. I managed to get B- on all 3 quarters up until now. And If i cannot get atleast a 92% on my final, I will end up with a C for the year . So any kind souls out here who can help please it will be appreciated with such a gratitude like you will never believe.

Anyway I mostly need help with word problems so here goes.
A 20.0 cm-amplitude wave travels along a 40.0cm long string from the left end to the right end of the string. If the string has a mass of .01 kg and is under a tension of 500.0 N.

a. Find the speed of the wave on the string.

b. If the string is fixed at both ends, this wave will be reflected with the same amplitude, frequency, and speed, but traveling in the opposite direction. Plucking the string continuously makes a standing wave interference patttern at the resonant frequency because the incident wave traveling to the right will interfere with the reflected wave traveling to the left. Let the incident wave traveling to the right by Y1. and the reflected wave traveling to the left be Y2. Find the frquency of the standing wave corresponding the the 7th overtone.

c. Sketch the standing wave for the 7th overtone.

d. Find the wavelength at the fundamental freequency.

e. Find the fundamental frequency

f. From d and e, write the wave function for Y1 and Y2.

g. Find the resultant disturbance produced when Y1 and Y2 are superimposed.

H.Sketch waveform graph for Y1, showing atleast 4 cycle.s

i. Sketch vibration graph for Y1 showing atleast 4 cycles.

Sorry for such a long problem. But i missed ALL of that section on the test intially. So I have no idea where to start :(.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
You need to realize that no one here can help you until you've at least shown some effort of your own to solve the problem.
 
ok here's what I have so far
a. SqRoot(T/(m/l)= Frequency so I get Sqroot(500/(.01/.4)) * (.4) = 56.6 m/s. But that's obviosly incorrect because I got it wrong.

b. nv/2l= 7(56.6)/2(.4)= 49.5 cycles/s

c. No idea where to begin

d. 1/7 * 495/7 = 7(56.6)/2(.4)=.8m

e. 70.7 cycles/s

f. no idea where to begin

g. no idea where to begin

h. no idea where to begin

i. no idea where to begin

sorry for the lack of work but i really do not know how to do physics. 197/485 was the score i received for this test.
 
Last edited:
Question (a)

You said the equation is;

f = \sqrt{\frac{T}{\frac{m}{L}}}

You were half right, infact the above equation is for velocity. So;

v = \sqrt{\frac{T}{\frac{m}{L}}}

Just plug your numbers in and away you go.

Question (b)

Almost there, however note that the 7th overtone is the 8th harmonic, where n in your equation is the nth harmonic.

Question (c)

How many nodes does the 7th overtone have? What will the amplitude of the anti-nodes be?

Question (d)

The fundamental frequency is given by;

f_{0} = \frac{v}{2L}

Use the wave equation to manipulate the above equation and you should find that the velocity term drops out and you are left with a function for wavelength in terms if string length.

Question (e)

You may want to check this in light of the above corrections.

Question (f)

Do you know the standard form for a wave equation for a traveling wave?

Question (g)

Do you know the standard form for a wave equation for a standing wave?

___________________________________​

~H
 
Last edited:
Thanks I get. A, B, D, E

C. So I just sketch 8 crests and 8 troughs right?
I still do not get
F, G and H and I

I don[t konw how to sketch the equations.
 
Last edited:
The 7th overtone has seven nodes and eight antinodes, a standing wave always has one more antinode than it has nodes.

From question, I would say that the question requires you to write an equation that will describe the vertical displacement is terms of horizontal displacement and time. Now the standard wave equation for an ideal string is given by;

y(x,t) = A\sin\frac{2\pi}{\lambda}(x - vt)

This can be manipulated to represent vertical acceleration and vertical velocity. All that you now need to do is plug your numbers in. The same can be done for the reflected wave. However, note that the reflected wave is traveling in the opposite direction, therefore its velocity will be negative.

A standing wave on a string can be represented by the equation;

y(x,t) = A\sin\omega_{n}t\sin\frac{nx\pi}{L}

Where n is the nth harmonic and;

\omega_{n} = v\cdot \frac{n\pi}{L}

~H
 
Hey thanks. One more problem really quickly. Finals are tommorow.

The density of diamond, a form of carbon, is 3520 kg/m^3. How many carbon atoms are there in a solid diamond sphere with a radius of .03mm?

Work so far :
V=R^3pie=(.033)^3pie
PV=nRT
Density*Volume=Mass= 3520*(.033)^3 pie
 
One correction, the volume of a sphere is given by;

V = \frac{4}{3}\pi R^3

Also, 0.03mm = 3x10-5 kg. You need to be in SI for this calculation. You cannot use the ideal gas equation (pV= nRT) because carbon is not an ideal gas. This step;
Density*Volume=Mass
Is correct (except you need to modify your numbers with respect to the above calculation). You now have a mass of carbon in kg.

I think it is safe to assume that all the carbon is the carbon-12 isotope, so how heavy is a carbon-12 isotope in atomic mass units?.

How many kilograms in an atomic mass unit?

Apologies if this it too late for your final today, but were are at slightly different time zones here in the UK.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
6K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K