PHYS 1110

Assignment 9
Suggested Solutions
Date: 04 Dec, 2017 (Mon)
(Note: the gravitational acceleration g = 9.8 m/s2 if applicable)

1. A sand scorpion can detect the motion of a nearby beetle (its prey) by the waves
the motion sends along the sand surface (Fig. 1). The waves are of two types:
transverse waves traveling at 𝑣𝑡 = 50 𝑚/𝑠 and longitudinal waves traveling at
𝑣𝑙 = 150 𝑚/𝑠. If a sudden motion sends out such waves, a scorpion can tell the
distance of the beetle from the difference ∆𝑡 in the arrival times of the waves at
its leg nearest the beetle. If ∆𝑡 = 4.0 ms, what is the beetle's distance?
[20 marks]

Figure 1

Solution:
The time difference is given by
𝐿 𝐿
∆𝑡 = −
𝑣𝑡 𝑣𝑙
Thus
∆𝑡 4.0 × 10−3
𝐿= = = 0.3 𝑚
1 1 1 1
𝑣𝑡 − 𝑣𝑙 −
50 150

1
2. A transverse sinusoidal wave is moving along a string in the positive direction of
an x axis with a speed of 80 m/s. At t = 0, the string particle at x = 0 has a
transverse displacement of 4.0 cm from its equilibrium position and is not moving.
The maximum transverse speed of the string particle at x = 0 is 16 m/s. (a) What
is the angular frequency of the wave? (b) What is the wavelength of the wave?
If 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝑦𝑚 sin(𝑘𝑥 ± 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙) is the form of the wave equation, what are (c)
ym, (d) k, (e) ω, (f) 𝜙, and (g) the correct choice of sign in front of ω?
[20 marks]

Solution:
(a) The frequency of the wave is the same as the oscillation of the particle at x = 0,
whose motion can be described by 𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑦0 cos𝜔𝑡 since at t = 0 it reaches a
maximum displacement of 4.0 cm and has zero speed. Its oscillation speed can be
described by 𝑣𝑦 (𝑡) = −𝜔𝑦0 sin 𝜔𝑡, thus
16 𝑚/𝑠
𝜔𝑦0 = 16, 𝜔= = 400 𝐻𝑧
4.0 × 10−2 𝑚
(b) Using 𝑣 = 𝜆𝑓, we have
𝑣 80
λ= = = 1.26 𝑚
𝑓 400/2𝜋

(c) 𝑦𝑚 = 4.0 𝑐𝑚 as judged by the motion of particle at x=0

2𝜋
(d) 𝑘= = 5.0 𝑚−1
𝜆

(e) 𝜔 = 400 Hz
(f) and (g)
Since the wave is propagating in the positive x direction, we must take the minus sign
in front of 𝜔. With this, the wave is written as 𝑦(𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝑦𝑚 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙). At x
= 0, it becomes 𝑦(0, 𝑡) = −𝑦𝑚 sin(𝜔𝑡 − 𝜙). To make it the same as 𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑦0 cos𝜔𝑡,
𝜙 = π/2.

3. In Fig. 2a, string 1 has a linear density of 3.00 g/m, and string 2 has a linear
density of 5.00 g/m. They are under tension due to the hanging block of mass M
= 500 g. Calculate the wave speed on (a) string 1 and (b) string 2. Next the
block is divided into two blocks (with 𝑀1 + 𝑀2 = 𝑀) and the apparatus is
rearranged as shown in Fig. 2b. Find (c) M1 and (d) M2 such that the wave
speeds in the two strings are equal.
(Hint: When a string loops halfway around a pulley, it pulls on the pulley with a

2
 net force that is twice the tension in the string.)
[20 marks]

Figure 2

𝜏
Solution: The wave speed is given by 𝑣 = √𝜇, where  is the tension of the string

and  is the linear mass density.

(a) For string 1, = M/2 and

𝜏 500 × 10−3 × 9.8

𝑣=√ = √ = 40.4 𝑚/𝑠
𝜇 3.00 × 10−3

(b) String 2 has the same tension, so that

𝜏 500 × 10−3 × 9.8

𝑣=√ = √ = 31.3 𝑚/𝑠
𝜇 5.00 × 10−3

(c) and (d) To reach the same wave speed in the strings, the ratio of / should be
𝑀1 𝑀2
the same. Thus, = . With 𝑀1 + 𝑀2 = 𝑀, we solve
𝜇1 𝜇2

M1 = 187.5 𝑔
M2 = 312.5 𝑔

3
4. What phase difference between two identical traveling waves, moving in the
same direction along a stretched string, results in the combined wave having an
amplitude1.50 times that of the common amplitude of the two combining waves?
Express your answer in (a) degrees, (b) radians, and (c) wavelengths.
[20 marks]

Solution: Set the two wave forms as

𝑦1 = 𝐴 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡)
𝑦2 = 𝐴 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙)
Now, we should have
𝑦 ′ (𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝑦1 (𝑥, 𝑡) + 𝑦2 (𝑥, 𝑡) = 𝐴 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡) + 𝐴 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙)
𝜙 𝜙
= 2𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠 sin(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 + )
2 2

𝜙
Thus, the new amplitude is 2𝐴𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 = 1.5 𝐴. So

𝜙 = 82.8𝑜 = 1.44 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 = 0.23 𝑤𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ

5. In Fig. 3, a string, tied to a sinusoidal oscillator at P and running over a support at

Q, is stretched by a block of mass m. Separation L = 1.20 m, linear density 
=1.6 g/m, and the oscillator frequency f = 120 Hz . The amplitude of the motion
at P is small enough for that point to be considered a node. A node also exists at
Q. (a) What mass m allows the oscillator to set up the fourth harmonic on the
string? (b) What standing wave mode, if any, can be set up if m = 1.0 kg ?
[20 marks]

Figure 3

Solution:
𝜏
(a) To set up the fourth harmonic on the string, 𝜆 = 𝐿/2. Using 𝑣 = 𝜆𝑓 and 𝑣 = √ , we
𝜇

have

4
 𝐿𝑓 1.20 × 120
𝑣= = = 72 𝑚/𝑠
2 2

𝑔 72𝑚 2
τ = μ𝑣 2 = 1.6 ×( ) = 8294.4 𝑔 ∙ 𝑚/𝑠 2
𝑚 𝑠
Thus, m = 846.4 g.
𝜏 1000×9.8
(b) If m = 1.00 kg, the speed will be 𝑣 = √ = √ = 78.26 𝑚/𝑠 and the
𝜇 1.6

𝑣 78.26
wavelength λ = 𝑓 = = 0.652 𝑚. L is not a multiple of , thus no standing
120

wave mode can be set up.