JEE EXPERT
[PHYSICS -]
TOPIC: A BRIEF THEORY ABOUT STANDING WAVES
How Standing Waves are Produced:
The interference of two identical sinusoidal waves moving in opposite directions produces standing
waves.
Mathematical Description of the Standing Waves:
For a mathematical description of standing waves, let us consider two waves with equations
y1 A sin kx t and
y2 A sin kx t
The principle of superposition gives equation for combined wave as
y y1 y2 A sin kx t A sin kx t
Solving by trigonometry
y 2 A sin kx cos t
This equation is known as equation of standing wave in the medium.
Amplitude of Standing Wave and Position of nodes and antinodes:
In a traveling sinusoidal wave, the amplitude of the wave is the same for all string elements. That is
not true for a standing wave, in which the amplitude varies with position.
In the equa on of standing wave y 2 A sin kx cos t , the term 2 A sin kx can be viewed
as the amplitude of oscilla on of the string element that is located at posi on x. However, since an
amplitude is always posi ve and sin kx can be nega ve, we take the absolute value of the quan ty
2 A sin kx to be the amplitude at x.
The positions where the amplitude is zero are position of nodes and the positions where the
amplitude of standing wave is maximum are positions of antinodes.
Is y 2 A sin kx cos t a general equation for standing wave in string?
For a string with fixed ends, the standing wave in general is given by equation
y ymax sin kx cos t .
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The value of depends upon the conditions at x = 0 and at t = 0.
Properties of Standing Waves:
Standing waves are characterized by fixed locations of zero displacement called nodes and fixed
locations of maximum displacement called antinodes. It means the value of k and are decided by
position of nodes and antinodes and also on the mode of vibration of the string.
Standing waves on a string can be set up by reflection of traveling waves from the ends of the string.
If an end is fixed, it must be the position of a node. This limits the frequencies at which standing
waves will occur on a given string. Each possible frequency is a resonant frequency, and the
corresponding standing wave pattern is an oscillation mode. For a stretched string of length L with
fixed ends, the resonant frequencies are
v v
f n for n= 1, 2, 3, . . . .
2L
The oscillation mode corresponding to n = 1 is called the fundamental mode or the first harmonic;
the mode corresponding to n = 2 is the second harmonic; and so on. The collection of all possible
oscillation modes is called the harmonic series.
Adjacent nodes or Adjacent antinodes are separated by l/2, half a wavelength. Nodes and antinodes
appear alternatively.
Energy of standing wave :
Energy of standing wave is purely kinetic when all medium particles are at their mean positions.
Energy of the standing wave is purely potential when all the medium particles are their extreme
position. In between energy is partial kinetic and partial potential. The total mechanical energy
between the two nodes is constant in time. The total energy between the adjacent nodes is given by
1
ESW mASW 2 2 , where ASW means the maximum amplitude of standing wave and m is the mass of
4
string (or medium) between adjacent nodes.
Standing Waves and Resonance:
Consider a string, such as a guitar string, that is stretched between two clamps. Suppose we send a
continuous sinusoidal wave of a certain frequency along the string, say, toward the right. When the
wave reaches the right end, it reflects and begins to travel back to the left. That left-going wave then
overlaps the wave that is still traveling to the right. When the left-going wave reaches the left end, it
reflects again and the newly reflected wave begins to travel to the right, overlapping the left-going
and right-going waves. In short, we very soon have many overlapping traveling waves, which
interfere with one another. For certain frequencies, the interference produces a standing wave pattern
(or oscillation mode) with nodes and large antinodes like those in Figure.
Such a standing wave is said to be produced at resonance, and the string is said to resonate at these
certain frequencies, called resonant frequencies.
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If the string is oscillated at some frequency other than a resonant frequency, a standing wave is not
set up. Then the interference of the right-going and left-going traveling waves results in only small,
temporary (perhaps even imperceptible or insensible) oscillations of the string.
Standing Wave Ratio:
A continuous traveling wave with amplitude A is incident on a boundary. The continuous reflection,
with a smaller amplitude B, travels back through the incoming wave. The resulting interference
pattern is displayed in Figure.
The standing wave ratio (SWR) is defined to be the reflection coefficient R is the ratio of the power
of the reflected wave to the power of the incoming wave and is thus proportional to the ratio (B/A)2.
Test Yourself:
What is the SWR for (a) total reflection and (b) no reflection? (c) For SWR = 1.50, what is R
expressed as a percentage?
Resonant Frequencies of standing Waves in Organ Pipes:
Open Organ Pipe:
v v
For organ pipe open at both ends f n for n= 1, 2, 3, . . . .
2L
The possible displacement wave equation (if any open ends is x = 0) is y 2 A cos kx cos t
And Corresponding pressure wave equation is P 2 BAk sin kx cos t
Closed Organ Pipe:
v v
For organ pipe open at one end and closed at other end f 2n 1 for n= 1, 2, 3, . . . .
4L
The possible wave equations
When open end is x = 0:
y 2 A cos kx cos t And Corresponding pressure wave equation is
P 2 BAk sin kx cos t
When closed end is x = 0:
y 2 A sin kx cos t And Corresponding pressure wave equation is
P 2 BAk cos kx cos t
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PRACTICE PROBLEMS
1. A 120 cm length of string is stretched between fixed supports. What are the (a) longest, (b) second
longest, and (c) third longest wavelength for waves traveling on the string if standing waves are to
be set up? (d) Sketch those standing waves.
2. Oscillation of a 600 Hz tuning fork sets up standing waves in a string clamped at both ends. The
wave speed for the string is 400 m/s. The standing wave has four loops and an amplitude of 2.0
mm. (a) What is the length of the string? (b) Write an equation for the displacement of the string as
a function of position and time.
3. Strings A and B have identical lengths and linear densities, but string B is under greater tension than
string A. Figure shows four situations, (a) through (d), in which standing wave patterns exist on the
two strings.
In which situations is there the possibility that strings A and B are oscillating at the same resonant
frequency?
4. String A is stretched between two clamps separated by distance L. String B, with the same linear
density and under the same tension as string A, is stretched between two clamps separated by
distance 4L. Consider the first eight harmonics of string B. For which of these eight harmonics of B
(if any) does the frequency match the frequency of (a) A’s first harmonic, (b) A’s second harmonic,
and (c) A’s third harmonic?
5. A string that is stretched between fixed supports separated by 75.0 cm has resonant frequencies of
420 and 315 Hz, with no intermediate resonant frequencies. What are (a) the lowest resonant
frequency and (b) the wave speed?
6. In an experiment on standing waves, a string 90 cm long is attached to the prong of an electrically
driven tuning fork that oscillates perpendicular to the length of the string at a frequency of 60 Hz.
The mass of the string is 0.044 kg. What tension must the string be under (weights are attached to
the other end) if it is to oscillate in four loops?
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7. In the figure, a string, tied to a sinusoidal oscillator at P and running over a support at Q, is
stretched by a block of mass m.
The separation L between P and Q is 1.20 m, and the frequency f of the oscillator is fixed at 120
Hz. The amplitude of the motion at is small enough for that point to be considered a node. A node
also exists at Q. A standing wave appears when the mass of the hanging block is 286.1 g or 447.0 g,
but not for any intermediate mass. What is the linear density of the string?
8. In Figure, an aluminium wire, of length L1 = 60.0 cm,
cross-sectional area 1 102 cm2, and density 2.60 g/cm3,
is joined to a steel wire, of density 7.80 g/cm3 and the
same cross-sectional area. The compound wire, loaded
with a block of mass m = 10.0 kg, is arranged so that the
distance L2 from the joint to the supporting pulley is 86.6
cm. Transverse waves are set up on the wire by an external
source of variable frequency; a node is located at the
pulley. (a) Find the lowest frequency that generates a
standing wave having the joint as one of the nodes. (b)
How many nodes are observed at this frequency?
9. A rope, under a tension of 200 N and fixed at both ends, oscillates in a second-harmonic standing
wave pattern. The displacement of the rope is given by y 0.10 m sin x sin 12 t , where x =
2
0 at one end of the rope, x is in meters, and t is in seconds. What are (a) the length of the rope, (b)
the speed of the waves on the rope, and (c) the mass of the rope? (d) If the rope oscillates in a third-
harmonic standing wave pattern, what will be the period of oscillation?
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