Standing Waves

Standing waves [24 marks]
1. A pipe of length 0.6 m is filled with a gas and closed at one end. The [1 mark]
speed of sound in the gas is 300 m s–1. What are the frequencies of the
first two harmonics in the tube?
A. 125 Hz and 250 Hz
B. 125 Hz and 375 Hz
C. 250 Hz and 500 Hz
D. 250 Hz and 750 Hz
2. In an experiment to determine the speed of sound in air, a tube that is [1 mark]
open at the top is filled with water and a vibrating tuning fork is held over
the tube as the water is released through a valve.
An increase in intensity in the sound is heard for the first time when the air
column length is x. The next increase is heard when the air column length is y.
Which expressions are approximately correct for the wavelength of the sound?
I. 4x
II. 4y
4y
III. 3
A. I and II
B. I and III
C. II and III
D. I, II and III
3. A third-harmonic standing wave of wavelength 0.80 m is set up on a [1 mark]
string fixed at both ends. Two points on the wave are separated by a
distance of 0.60 m. What is a possible phase difference between the two points on
the wave?
A. π4 rad
B. π2 rad
C. πrad
D. 32π rad
4. A string stretched between two fixed points sounds its second harmonic [1 mark]
at frequency f.
Which expression, where n is an integer, gives the frequencies of harmonics that

have a node at the centre of the string?
n+1
A. 2 f
B. nf
C. 2nf
D. (2n + 1)f
5. The diagram shows a second harmonic standing wave on a string fixed at [1 mark]
both ends.
What is the phase difference, in rad, between the particle at X and the particle at
Y?
A. 0
B. π4
C. π2
D. 34π
6. Water is draining from a vertical tube that was initially full. A vibrating [1 mark]
tuning fork is held near the top of the tube. For two positions of the water
surface only, the sound is at its maximum loudness.
The distance between the two positions of maximum loudness is x.

What is the wavelength of the sound emitted by the tuning fork?
A. x2
B. x
C. 32x
D. 2x
7. A standing (stationary) wave is set up on a string at a particular [1 mark]
frequency as shown.
How many nodes will be on the string if the frequency is doubled but nothing else
is changed?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 7
D. 8
8. A standing (stationary) wave is set up on a stretched string. The diagram [1 mark]
below shows the string at three different instants of time. P, Q and R are
three points on the string.
Which of the following gives two points on the string that are in phase and two
points on the string that are one wavelength apart?
9. A standing sound wave is set up inside a narrow glass tube which has [1 mark]
both ends open. The first harmonic frequency of the standing wave is
500Hz. What is the frequency of the sound wave if the length of the tube is halved
and one end is closed?
A. 250 Hz
B. 500 Hz
C. 1000 Hz
D. 2000 Hz
10. A string is made to vibrate at its third harmonic. The diagram shows two [1 mark]
points P and Q at a particular instant in time.
Which of the following compares the period of vibration of P and Q and the
average speed of P and Q?
11. The diagram shows the fundamental (first harmonic) of a standing [1 mark]
(stationary) sound wave in a pipe open at one end.
At any instant, all the molecules of air in the pipe oscillate with the same
A. phase.
B. amplitude.
C. velocity.
D. acceleration.
12. The lowest frequency emitted by an organ pipe that is open at both ends [1 mark]
is f. What is the lowest frequency emitted by an organ pipe of the same
length that is closed at one end?
f
A. 4
f
B. 2
C. 2f
D. 4f
13. The diagrams show four different organ pipes drawn to scale. Standing [1 mark]
waves in the fundamental (first harmonic) mode are set up inside each
pipe. Which pipe produces a fundamental note with the lowest frequency?
14. A standing wave of frequency ƒ is established in air in a pipe open at one [1 mark]
end, as shown.
Which of the following is the frequency of the next highest harmonic?

f
A. 3
f
B. 2
C. 2ƒ
D. 3ƒ
15. The air in a pipe, of length l and open at both ends, vibrates with a [1 mark]
fundamental frequency f. What is the fundamental frequency of a pipe of
length 1.5l and closed at one end?
f
A. 3
2f
B. 3
3f
C. 2
D. 3f
16. P and Q are two points on a standing wave. R and S are two points on a [1 mark]
progressive (travelling) wave.
Which of the following gives the relationship between the amplitudes of each pair
of points?
17. A transverse standing wave is established on a string. Consider the [1 mark]

following phase differences.
I. 0°
II. 90°
III. 180°
Which of the following gives all the possible phase differences between the
oscillations of any two particles in the standing wave?
A. I only
B. I and III only
C. II and III only
D. I, II and III
18. A standing wave is established on a string between two fixed points. [1 mark]
What is the phase difference in radians between point P and point Q on the string?
A. zero
B. π2
C. π
D. 2π
19. The fundamental (first harmonic) frequency for a particular organ pipe is [1 mark]
330 Hz. The pipe is closed at one end but open at the other. What is the
frequency of its next highest harmonic?
A. 110 Hz
B. 165 Hz
C. 660 Hz
D. 990 Hz
20. Light is diffracted at a single slit. Which of the following graphs best [1 mark]
represents how the intensity I of the diffracted light varies with the
diffraction angle θ?
21. A string vibrates with fundamental frequency f. The wavelength of the [1 mark]
sound produced in air is λ. Which of the following correctly gives the
frequency of vibration of the fourth harmonic of the string and the wavelength of
the sound in air?
22. A standing wave is established in air in a pipe with one closed and one [1 mark]
open end.
The air molecules near X are

A. always at the centre of a compression.
B. always at the centre of a rarefaction.
C. sometimes at the centre of a compression and sometimes at the centre of a
rarefaction.
D. never at the centre of a compression or a rarefaction.
23. Which of the following is a correct comparison between standing waves [1 mark]
and travelling waves?
24. The wavelength of a standing (stationary) wave is equal to [1 mark]

A. the distance between adjacent nodes.
B. twice the distance between adjacent nodes.
C. half the distance between adjacent nodes.
D. the distance between a node and an adjacent antinode.
© International Baccalaureate Organization 2021

International Baccalaureate® - Baccalauréat International® - Bachillerato Internacional®
Printed for Beaconhouse School System Margalla Campus

Standing Waves

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Standing Waves

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Standing Waves

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Standing waves [24 marks]

Which expression, where n is an integer, gives the frequencies of harmonics that

The distance between the two positions of maximum loudness is x.

Which of the following is the frequency of the next highest harmonic?

17. A transverse standing wave is established on a string. Consider the [1 mark]

The air molecules near X are

24. The wavelength of a standing (stationary) wave is equal to [1 mark]

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2021

Printed for Beaconhouse School System Margalla Campus

You might also like