Department of Physics, IIT Kharagpur; Session: 2022-2023(Spring)

Course: PH11003 (Physics of waves)

Mid–Semester Examination, Solutions
Partial credit indicated in red.

Marks break-up :- 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 30

1. An oscillator is undergoing forced under-damped oscillation in the presence of an external

periodic force. The equation of motion is given as,
d2 x(t)
dt2
+ 2γ dx(t)
dt
+ ω02 x(t) = f cos(ωe t)
where the symbols have usual meaning. For this system answer the following questions:
(a) Once the transients die, what will be the steady-state time-period of oscillation ? [1]
(b) At what value of the angular frequency (ωe ) of the external force will the system exhibit
amplitude resonance. [1]
(c) It is observed that the steady-state amplitude of oscillation has the same value when
√ √
the external force is tuned to operate at ωe = 500 2 sec−1 and 1200 2 sec−1 with same
amplitude f. Find the resonant frequency of the system. [3]
(d) Given the Quality Factor Q = 50 for the oscillator, find the Full Width at Half Maximum
(FWHM) of the corresponding energy resonance curve. Round off your answer to the nearest
integer. [1]

Solution:
2π
(a) Steady state frequency is ωe . The time period will be ωe
.
No partial credit. Credit for right answer only.

p
(b) Amplitude resonance will occur at ωe = ω02 − 2γ 2 .
No partial credit. Credit for right answer only.
(c) Let us define as ωe1 and ωe2 as the two frequencies for which the amplitudes are equal.
Using the expression for the steady state amplitude, we therefore have:
f0 f0
q =q (1)
2 2 2 2
(ω02 − ωe1 2
) + 4γ 2 ωe1 (ω02 − ωe2 2
) + 4γ 2 ωe2
Squaring and simplifying one obtains

2ω02 − ωe1
2 2
− ωe2 = 4γ 2 (2)

1
which leads to
2 ω02 − 2γ 2 = ωe1
2 2


+ ωe2 (3)

Therefore,
2 2 2
2ωres = ωe1 + ωe2 (4)
√ √
Since ωe1 = 500 2 rad/s and ωe2 = 1200 2 rad/s, we obtain in rad/s,

ωres = 1300 (5)

Partial credit of one(1) mark if the procedure is correct but answer is wrong.
(d) We have Q = 50. Therefore,
p p
ω ω02 − γ 2 2 + γ2
ωres
Q = 50 = = = (6)
2γ 2γ 2γ
Using ωres = 1300 rad/s, we obtain

2
ωres + γ 2 = 104 γ 2 (7)

which gives
ωres 1300
γ=√ ∼ = 13 (8)
104 − 1 100
For the energy resonance curve, the FWHM is 2γ. For this case, we have FWHM = 26 s−1 .
Partial credit of half (0.5) mark if the procedure is correct but answer is wrong.
ω0
Full credit if a student assumes Q ∼ 2γ
and obtains

ωres 1300
γ=√ ∼ = 13 (9)
4
10 − 2 100
ωres 1300
or, assumes Q ∼ 2γ
and obtains γ = 100
= 13.

2. Consider an undamped mass-spring system (mass m = 1 kg and spring constant k = 1

unit) on which a piston acts to provide a harmonic driving force F (t) = cos t.
(a) Write down the differential equation for the system. Find c1 and c2 such that
x(t) = (c1 t + c2 ) sin t
solves the equation with initial conditions x(t = 0) = 0, ẋ(t = 0) = 0. [2]
(b) Sketch x(t) as obtained in (a) (with values of c1 and c2 as found in (a)). [1]
dE dE
(c) Obtain an expression for the instantaneous power dt
. Evaluate dt
at t = nπ. [1]
(d) Evaluate the time-averaged power ⟨ dE
dt
⟩. [2]

2
 100

50

-50

-100
0 50 100 150 200

t
FIG. 1: Question 2(b). x-axis is t and y-axis is x(t) = 2 sin t

Solution:
(a) The differential equation for the system is:

ẍ + x = cos t (10)

We evaluate ẋ and ẍ for x(t) = (c1 t + c2 ) sin t.

ẋ = c1 sin t + (c1 t + c2 ) cos t (11)

ẍ = 2c1 cos t − (c1 t + c2 ) sin t (12)

Substituting back in the differential equation one gets

ẍ + x = 2c1 cos t = cos t (13)

which implies c1 = 12 .
Also, x(t = 0) = 0 automatically, for the given solution. But ẋ(t = 0) = c2 from the above
expression for ẋ. So, to have ẋ = 0 at t = 0, we need c2 = 0. Thus, the final solution is:
t
x(t) = sin t (14)
2
For correct differential equation half (0.5) mark. Correct value of c1 one (1) mark. Correct
value of c2 half (0.5) mark.
(b) A sketch of the function is shown in FIG. 1.

One(1) mark only if increasing amplitude is indicated. No partial credit.

dE
(c) We know that dt
= F ẋ. Thus, for this case, we have,
dE 1 1
= sin t cos t + t cos2 t (15)
dt 2 2

3
 dE nπ
At t = nπ, we have dt
= 2
.
Half(0.5) mark each for the two parts.
(d) T = 2π. We have

1 T dE
  Z Z T
dE 1
cos t sin t + t cos2 t dt


= dt = (16)
dt T 0 dt 2T 0
1 1 2π
Z
= t (1 + cos 2t) dt (17)
4π 2 0
Z 2π
1 t2
 
π
= + t cos 2t dt = (18)
8π 2 0 4

One(1) mark if answer wrong but procedure correct. One mark only for writing upto the
first line (Eqn. (15)) above.

3. (a) Consider a V-shaped bent tube of uniform cross-section containing a liquid of low
viscosity, as shown in FIG 1 below. Calculate the time period of oscillation of the liquid,
assuming the total length of the liquid column is 90 cm. Neglect the capillary force in the
tube. Assume g = 1000 cm/s2 and write your answer as a multiple of π. [3]
(b) In a damped harmonic system, the amplitude of oscillation decreases to 0.125 of the
initial value after three complete oscillations. Determine the logarithmic decrement λ. [1.5]
(c) Consider a LCR series circuit consisting of an inductor (L = 9 H), resistor (R = 1 kΩ),
and capacitor (C = 1 µF). Calculate the quality factor (Q) of this circuit. [1.5]

Solution:
(a) Let A, ρ, g and L be the cross-sectional area of the tube, density of the liquid, acceleration
due to gravity and the length of the liquid in the V-tube, respectively.
Assume that the liquid in the right limb is displaced by an amount x along the tube. Since
the liquid is incompressible, the liquid in the left limb will also be displaced by x, in the
opposite direction.

The hydrostatic pressure difference arising out of this displacement is given as:

∆P = ρg (x sin 30◦ − (−x sin 30◦ )) = 2gρx sin 30◦ = ρgx (19)

4
 300 300

FIG. 2: Question 3(a)

The resulting restoring force is therefore,

Frestoring = −∆P A = −ρgAx (20)

One(1) mark for doing correctly upto this point. No partial credit.
Since Frestoring is linear in x, it will lead to simple harmonic oscillations of the free liquid
surface. If m is the mass of the liquid in the tube, then the equation of motion of such
oscillations is
mẍ = −Frestoring = −ρAgx (21)

One(1) mark for doing corrrectly upto this point. No partial credit.
ρAg
Defining ω02 = m
we get the equation of motion as:

ẍ + ω02 x = 0 (22)

We also have m = ρAL.

The corresponding time period is therefore
s s
ρAL L
T = 2π = 2π (23)
ρAg g
3π
Using the values L = 90cm and g = 1000cm/s2 , we obtain T = 5
= 1.885 seconds.
One(1)mark for doing corrrectly upto this point. No partial credit.

(b) Here, we have,

A3 A3 A2 A1
= = 0.125 (24)
A0 A2 A1 A0
Ai+1
Each factor Ai
= e−λ , which implies e−3λ = 0.125 and λ = − 13 ln 0.125 = ln 2 = 0.693147.

5
 FIG. 3: Question 4

One(1) mark for wrong final answer but correct procedure (last step mistake). Writing ln 2
or 0.693147 or both is acceptable.

(c) Here we have the formula r

1 L
Q= (25)
R C
Substituting values as provided one gets Q = 3.
One(1) mark for wrong final answer but correct formula.
It is possible that the student may use the formula
p r
ω02 − β 2 L 1 R2
Q= = − 2 (26)
2β R LC 4L
q
ω0 L 1
instead of Q = 2β
= R LC
, as quoted earlier above.
√
R 1000 1000 35
In such a case one gets, using 2L
=β= 18
and ω0 = 3
, Q= 2
= 2.96.
Any student obtaining the above result will also get full credit.

4. Two masses 2M (upper) and M (lower) are connected by springs of spring constants 2k
(upper) and k (lower) as shown in the FIG 2. The system is made to oscillate in the vertical
direction. You are given the following values: M = 50 gms and k = 102.4 N/m. Find the
following for the coupled system by neglecting the presence of gravity.
(a) The angular frequencies of the normal modes of oscillations. [4]

6
(b) The ratio : (amplitude of the upper mass)/amplitude of lower mass) for the two normal
modes. [2]

Solution:
(a) If x and y are the displacements of the upper and lower masses, the equations of motion
are:

2M ẍ = −2kx − k (x − y) (27)
M ÿ = −k (y − x) (28)

One(1) mark here for writing correct equation of motion.

Using complexified versions of the above equations with x = Re(z) and y = Re(w), and
assuming z = Aeiωt and w = Beiωt , we obtain

−2M ω 2 + 3k A − kB = 0


(29)
−kA + −M ω 2 + k B = 0


(30)

The condition for nontrivial (A, B ̸= 0) solutions for A and B is the following determinantal
condition:

(−2M ω 2 + 3k) −k
=0 (31)
−k (−M ω 2 + k)
One(1) mark for getting at the correct condition.
which gives the equation
2M 2 ω 4 − 5M ω 2 k + 2k 2 = 0 (32)

Treating this as a quadratic in ω 2 , we get

√
5M K + 25M 2 k 2 − 16M 2 k 2 8M k k
ω02 = 2
= 2
=2 (33)
√ 4M 4M M
2
5M K − 25M k − 16M k2 2 2 2M k 1 k
ω12 = 2
= 2
= (34)
4M 4M 2M

One(1) mark for arriving at the correct ω0 and ω1 expressions.

Using the values k = 102.4 N/m and M = 0.05 kg. we obtain ω0 = 64 rad/s and ω1 = 32
rad/s.
One(1) mark for the correct numerical values of ω0 and ω1 .

7
Partial credit upto two(2) marks may be given if the student writes the wrong equations of
motion (sign errors or overall factors) but has shown that she/he knows how to find normal
modes.

A
(b) Using ω = ω0 in the either of the two equations for A and B, one gets B
= −1. For
A 1
ω = ω1 , in the same way, one gets B
= 2
A
One(1) mark for each B
. One mark total if values wrong but method correct.

5. A travelling wave ψ(x, y, z, t) is represented by:

√

ψ = ψ0 cos 3x + 4y + 5 3z − 10t + ϕ0
(a) The wave at time t = 0 is crossing the origin (0, 0, 0) and the phase at this point is π3 .
π
What is the phase at (π, 0, 0) at time t = 2
s? [1]
(b) Evaluate ψ(0, 0, 0, 0) and ψ(π, 0, 0, π2 ), when ψ0 = 2. [1]
(c) Write down the wave vector ⃗k, the angular frequency ω, the frequency ν and the mag-
nitude of wave vector. [2]
(d) Write down the equation of the surface of constant phase at t = t0 . Geometrically, what
is this surface (surface of a sphere, cylinder or anything else)? [1]
(e) Find the phase velocity of this travelling wave. [1]

Solution:
(a) At t = 0 and (x, y, z) = (0, 0, 0), the phase if π3 . This gives ϕ0 = π3 . The phase at t = π
2
√
and (x, y, z) = (π, 0, 0) will be 3.π + 4.0 + 5 3.0 − 10. π2 + π3 = 3π − 5π + π3 = − 5π3
.
(b) ψ(0, 0, 0, 0) = ψ0 cos π3 = 2. 12 = 1. ψ(π, 0, 0, π2 ) = ψ0 cos(−2π + π3 ) = 2. 12 = 1.
√
(c) Wave vector k = 3i + 4j + 5 3k. angular frequency ω = 10 units, ν = π5 units and
k = |k| = 10 units.
√ π
(d) Equation of cophasal surface (wavefront): 3x + 4y + 5 3z − 10t0 + 3
= constant. The
wavefront is a plane.
ω 10
(e) Phase velocity vp = k
= 10
= 1 unit.
Credit here only for correct answers.