REVISION QNS

1. Define the following terms as applied to waves;

i) Progressive waves
ii) Transverse and longitudinal waves
iii) Stationary waves
iv) Nodes and Antinodes
v) Amplitude
vi) Wave length
vii) Frequency
viii) Period
2. a) Explain briefly the formation of a stationary wave.
b) Give four differences between progressive and stationary waves
c) Derive the general relationship between velocity, wave length and frequency.
3. a) Calculate the wave constants of a progressive wave represented by

{ }
f =1000 Hz
(
y=a sin 2000 πt−
πx
17 )
cm. λ=0.34 m
T =1∗10 s
−3

b) The displacement of a wave travelling in the x-direction is given by,

y=a sin 2 π ¿ ¿) metres.

Calculate the speed of the wave. ¿-1)

c) A sound wave propagating in the x-direction is given by the equation:

y=2∗10−7 sin(8000 t−25 x) metres
Find the a) amplitude; (a=2*10-7m)
b) Speed of a wave ( V=320ms-1)
d) The displacement of a particle in a given wave is y=2sin 2 π (0.25x-100t) where x and y are
centimetres, t is in seconds.
Find a) wave length ( λ = 4m)
b) Speed (V= 400ms-1)
4. The diagram below shows a wave travelling in a positive x- direction away from the origin
with a velocity of 9 cm-1
2

-
2
a) what is the period of the wave? (T =0.133)
 5
b) show that the displacement of a wave is given by the equation y=2sin π (9t-x)
3
5. a) Two waves of frequencies 256 Hz and 280 Hz respectively travel with a speed of 340
ms-1 through a medium. Find the phase difference at a point 2.0m from where they were
initially in phase.

{ }
ɸ=ɸ 2−ɸ 1 v
NB 2 πx , λ= (ɸ=0.887 radians)
¿ ɸ= f
λ

B) A progressive wave and a stationary wave each has a frequency of 240 Hz and a speed of
80ms-1. Calculate;
i) Phase difference between the two vibrating points in a stationary wave which are 6cm
apart.(φ=1.131 radians)
ii) Distance between the nodes in a stationary wave. (i =0.17m)
6. When a plane wave traverses a medium, the displacement of the particle is given by y
=0.01 sin 2π(2t -0.01 x ) where x and y are in metres and t in seconds.
Calculate the; a) frequency ( f =2 Hz)
B) Wave velocity. (V=200ms-1)
c) Phase difference at a given point between two particles 50m apart
(π radians) .
7. a) State the super position principle.
b) A progressive wave y=a sin ⁡(wt−kx) is reflected at a barrier to interfere with an
incoming wave. Show that the resultant wave is a stationary wave.( 4marks)
c) Explain the formation of a stationary wave by super position principle.
d) A plane progressive wave is given by y=a sin ¿ ¿ ¿ where x and y are in millimetres and
t in seconds.
i) Write an equation of a progressive wave which would give rise to a stationary wave if
super posed on one above.
ii) Find the equation of a stationary wave and hence determine its amplitude.
iii) Determine the velocity and frequency of the stationary wave.
8. a) i) Define the term Beats.
ii) Mention three uses of Beats.
iii) Explain the formation of beats using superposition principle.
iv) Explain how one can determine the frequency of a musical note using beats.
B) Two turning forks x∧ y are sounded together to produce beats of frequency 8 Hz , fork
x has a known frequency of 512 Hz.
When Y is loaded with plasticize, beat of frequency 2 Hz are heard when the two forks are
sounded together.
Calculate the frequency of Y when loaded .( f =514 Hz ¿
c) two whistles are sounded together simultaneously. The wave length of the sounds emitted
are 5.50m and 6.00m respectively.
Find the beat frequency if the speed of sound is 330ms-1(
fb=5 Hz ¿ ,(f 1=60 Hz∧f 2=55 Hz).
9. Two sources of sound are vibrating simultaneously with frequencies of 2000Hz and
2040Hz respectively. If the speed of sound in air is 340ms-1.
a) How many beats are heard?
b) What is the distance between successive locations of maximum intensity?
c) Describe an experiment on how the speed of sound in a rod using kundt’s tube can be
measured.
d) Explain the different types of oscillations you know.
e) Mention three differences between free oscillations and damped oscillations
f) Give two factors that affect the speed of sound in a wire.
10. i) Derive expressions that show different modes of vibration in a string.
a) 1st harmonic
b)3rd harmonic.
ii) A string fixed at both ends is made to vibrate in two different modes, if the frequencies of
the n th harmonic and the fundamental note are f n= n f 1.
iii) A wire of a guitar of length 50cm and mass per metre of 1.5*10-3kg-1 is under tension of
173.4N. If it is plucked in the middle, find: a) Frequency.
b) Wave length of fundamental note
iv) A uniform wire of length 1.0m and mass 2.0*10-2 kg is stretched between two fixed
points. The tension in the wire is 200N. The wire is plucked in the middle and released. Find
i) Speed of the wave. ( V=100ms-1)

ii) frequency of the fundamental note, ( f 1=50 Hz ¿ but v= { √ T

μ
∧μ=
l }
m also

f=
√
1 T
2l µ
11. i) Define the following terms;
a) Fundamental
b) Fundamental frequency
c) A hormic
d) Overtone
e) End correction
ii) Describe an experiment to show how the fundamental frequency varies with
tension in the wire.
iii) a) How can one distinguish between a closed pipe and an open pipe?
b) Derive expressions to show mode of vibrations for first resonance and second
(2nd) overtone in a closed pipe.
c) Explain why an open pipe is preferred to a closed pipe as a musical instrument?
12. a) Define the term resonance.
b) Describe an experiment to determine the speed of sound in air using a
resonance tube.
 c) A tube of 1m long closed at one end has its lowest resonance at 86.2Hz.
Another tube of similar dimensions has its lowest resonance at 171hz but open at
both ends.
Calculate the speed of sound and the end correction. (6marks)
13. a) A tuning fork of frequency 760Hz is sounded near the open and of a closed
pipe of length 40cm. If the air in the tube resonates with a turning fork, determine
the mode of vibration and the end correction (speed of sound in air is 330ms-1)
b) A cylindrical pipe of length 30cm is closed at one end, air in the pipe resonates
with a fork of frequency 825Hz sounded near the open end. Find the mode of
vibration assuming there is no end correction.(speed of sound is 330ms-1)
c) A cylindrical pipe of length 29cm is closed at one end. The air in the pipe
resonates with a turning fork of frequency 860Hz sounded near the end of the
tube. Determine the mode of vibration and the end correction. (speed of sound
=340ms-1)
d) Two open pipes of length 92cm and 93cm are found to give a beat frequency of
3.0Hz when each is sounding in its fundamental note. If the end errord are 1.5cm
and 1.8cm respectively;
Calculate; i) the velocity of sound in air.
ii) Frequency of each note.
14. a) Define the term Doppler Effect.
b) Derive an expression for apparent frequency;
i) When source is moving towards a stationary observer.
ii) When source stationary and the observer moving away from it.
C) A police car travelling at a speed of 50ms-1 sounds a siren of 1000Hz as it approaches a
stationary observer.
What is the apparent frequency of the siren as heard by the observer.(speed of sound in
air=340ms-1) ( f 1 =117.4 Hz)
d) A car travelling at 72km/hr-1 has a siren as heard which produces sound of frequency 500Hz.
Calculate the difference between the frequency of sound heard by the observer by the
roadside as the car approaches and receeds from the observer.( f 1=533.3Hz) and ( f
11
=470.6Hz) f b=62.7 Hz.
e) A wire of length 76cm is maintained under tension of 40N and plucked in the middle.
Calculate the fundamental frequency of the note produced if the diameter and density of
the wire are 1mm and 8800kgm-3 respectively.
( f 0=50Hz)
f) The mass of a vibrating length of a sonometer wire is 1.20g. a note of frequency 512Hz is
produced when the wire is sounded its second overtone. If the tension in the wire is 100N.
find the vibrating length of the string.
g) i) A train moving with a uniform velocity V1 sounds a horn as it passes a stationary observer.
Derive an expression for the apparent frequency of sound detected by the observer.
 ii) If the frequency of the sound detected by the observer before the tain passed was 1.2
times higher than the frequency detected in i) above, determine the velocity of the train
(speed of sound in air=330ms-1)
h) an observer moving between two identical stationary sources of sound along a straight line
joining them hears beats at a rate of 4.0s-1. At what velocity is the observer moving if the
frequencies of the source are 500Hz.
The velocity when the observer makes the observation is 340ms-1.
15. a) Derive an expression for the beat frequency as the source and observer are seen to be
moving in one direction.
b) A motorcyclist and a police car are approaching each other. The motorcyclist is moving at
10ms-1 and the police car at20ms-1. If the siren is sounded at 480Hz, calculate the frequency
of the note heard by the cyclist after the police car passes by.(speed of sound=340ms -1) (
f =440 Hz ).
c) An observer moving at a velocity of u0 along a straight line joining two identical sources
of sound hears the beats, if the frequencies of the source is `f’ and the velocity of sound in
air is u .
i) Derive an expression for the beat frequency.
ii) Find the frequency of the source given that u0=20ms-1,u=320 ms-1.
d) Give any four applications of Doppler Effect.
e) Explain any one form of application of Doppler Effect that can be used to measure speed
of sound in air.

=END=