Calculating Minima Spots Between Two In-Phase Speakers

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the spots of minima created by two in-phase speakers emitting sound waves. The problem involves understanding the principles of wave interference, particularly destructive interference, and how it relates to the distance between the speakers and the frequency of the sound emitted.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss determining the wavelength from frequency and the speed of sound, and the conditions for destructive interference. There are attempts to express the waves mathematically and to relate path differences to minima locations.

Discussion Status

Several participants have contributed different approaches to the problem, exploring mathematical representations and conditions for interference. There is an ongoing exploration of the relationship between path difference and minima locations, with no explicit consensus reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the dependence of sound speed on temperature and pressure, and the limitation of the distance between the speakers affecting the number of interference points. There is also a reference to external educational resources for further clarification.

NotMrX
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Hello,

Please help me figure this problem out.

Suppose that 2 speakers face each other with a distance D inbetweem them and that both emit the same frequency f. Also they hooked up to the same amp so they are in phase. How do we determine the spots of minima?
 
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NotMrX said:
Hello,

Please help me figure this problem out.

Suppose that 2 speakers face each other with a distance D inbetweem them and that both emit the same frequency f. Also they hooked up to the same amp so they are in phase. How do we determine the spots of minima?
First of all, determine the wavelength from the frequency and the speed of sound in air (which depends somewhat on temperature and pressure).

Then determine where you will have destructive interference. What is the condition for destructive interference? (think of sound as a transverse wave - it is easier to visualize).

AM
 
Andrew Mason said:
First of all, determine the wavelength from the frequency and the speed of sound in air (which depends somewhat on temperature and pressure).

wavelength = L = v/F

Andrew Mason said:
Then determine where you will have destructive interference. What is the condition for destructive interference? (think of sound as a transverse wave - it is easier to visualize).

AM

For destructive interfence the waves are out of phase by 180 degrees.

Maybe the waves could be described mathmatically by
Y1 = A* cos(K*x-w*t)
Y2 =A*cos[K*(x-d) +w*t]

then odd integer multiples of 180 or pi is the difference of argument in the cosine.

[k*x-w*t] - [K*(x-d) + w*t] = n*pi

Does this seem right so far?
 
NotMrX said:
wavelength = L = v/F



For destructive interfence the waves are out of phase by 180 degrees.

Maybe the waves could be described mathmatically by
Y1 = A* cos(K*x-w*t)
Y2 =A*cos[K*(x-d) +w*t]

then odd integer multiples of 180 or pi is the difference of argument in the cosine.

[k*x-w*t] - [K*(x-d) + w*t] = n*pi

Does this seem right so far?
This will give points of constructive and destructive interference. It is much simpler to just look at the path difference being odd multiples of half wavelengths:

\Delta x = (2m+1)\lamba/2 where m = 0, 1, 2 ...

The distance between the speakers will limit the number of points where this can occur.

AM
 
Here is another approach then:

\Delta X = X_1 - X_2
X_1 = x
X_2 = D - x
\Delta X = 2x - d
\Delta x = (2m+1)\lamba/2 = 2x-d
x = (2m+1)\lamba/4 + d/2[\tex]
 
Last edited:
NotMrX, you may wish to view this lecture by Walter Lewin of MIT.

http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/291/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
thank you all for help, I got it to work out.
 

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