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Structured Questions-Wave: 1. This Question Is About The Superposition of Waves

1. The principle of superposition of waves states that when two waves meet, their displacements add arithmetically at each point in space. For two in-phase point sources of sound, the intensity at the midpoint between the sources is 4 times the intensity of a single source due to constructive interference. At a point 3/4 of the way to one source, the waves are completely out of phase and the intensity is zero. 2. For a standing wave in an air-filled pipe open at both ends, the amplitude of oscillation is greatest at the anti-nodes and zero at the nodes. For the fundamental mode, the frequency is calculated by dividing the speed of sound by twice the length of

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118 views6 pages

Structured Questions-Wave: 1. This Question Is About The Superposition of Waves

1. The principle of superposition of waves states that when two waves meet, their displacements add arithmetically at each point in space. For two in-phase point sources of sound, the intensity at the midpoint between the sources is 4 times the intensity of a single source due to constructive interference. At a point 3/4 of the way to one source, the waves are completely out of phase and the intensity is zero. 2. For a standing wave in an air-filled pipe open at both ends, the amplitude of oscillation is greatest at the anti-nodes and zero at the nodes. For the fundamental mode, the frequency is calculated by dividing the speed of sound by twice the length of

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Zero Two
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Structured Questions-Wave

1. This question is about the superposition of waves.


(a) State what is meant by the principle of superposition of waves. [1]

(b) The diagram shows two point sources of sound, X and Y. Each source emits waves of
wavelength 1.1 m and amplitude A. Over the distances shown, any decrease in amplitude can be
neglected. The two sources vibrate in phase.

Points O and P are on a line 4.0 m from the line connecting X and Y. O is opposite the midpoint
of XY and P is 0.75 m from O.

(i) Explain why the intensity of the sound at O is 4A2. [2]

(ii) Deduce that no sound is detected at P. [3]


2. (a) The diagram represents a standing (stationary) wave in air in a pipe which is open at both ends.

Two points in the pipe are labelled P and Q.


(i) State the direction of oscillation of an air molecule at point P. [1]

(ii) Compare the amplitude of oscillation of an air molecule at point P with that of an air molecule at
point Q. [2]

(b) A hollow pipe open at both ends is suspended just above the ground on a construction site.

Wind blows across one end of the pipe. This causes a standing wave to form in the air of the pipe,
producing the first harmonic (fundamental). The pipe has a length of 2.1 m and the speed of sound in air
is 330 m s–1.
Estimate the frequency of the first harmonic (fundamental) standing wave. [2]
3. (a) The source is placed in front of a barrier that has an opening of width comparable to the
wavelength of the sound.

A sound detector is moved along the line XY. The centre of XY is marked O.
(i) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show how the intensity I of the sound varies as the detector
moves from X to Y. [3]

(ii) State the effect on the intensity pattern of increasing the wavelength of the sound. [1]

(b) (i) Outline the difference between a polarized wave and an unpolarized wave. [2]

(ii) State why sound waves cannot be polarized. [1]


4. (a) Red laser light is incident on a double slit with a slit separation of 0.35 mm. A double-slit
interference pattern is observed on a screen 2.4 m from the slits. The distance between successive
maxima on the screen is 4.7 mm.

Calculate the wavelength of the light. Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant
figures. [3]

(b) Explain the change to the appearance of the interference pattern when the red-light laser is
replaced by one that emits green light. [2]

(c) One of the slits is now covered.


Describe the appearance of the pattern on the screen. [2]

5 (a) Yellow light from a sodium lamp of wavelength 590 nm is incident at normal incidence on a
double slit. The resulting interference pattern is observed on a screen.
The intensity of the pattern on the screen is shown.

(i) Explain why zero intensity is observed at position A. [2]


(ii) The distance from the centre of the pattern to A is 4.1 × 10–2 m. The distance from the screen to
the slits is 7.0 m.

Calculate the width of each slit. [2]

(iii) Calculate the separation of the two slits. [2]

(b) The double slit is replaced by a diffraction grating that has 600 lines per millimetre.
The resulting pattern on the screen is shown.

State and explain the differences between the pattern on the screen due to the grating and the
pattern due to the double slit. [3]
6. (a) A loudspeaker emits sound towards the open end of a pipe. The other end is closed.
A standing wave is formed in the pipe. The diagram represents the displacement of molecules of
air in the pipe at an instant of time.

(i) Outline how the standing wave is formed. [1]

X and Y represent the equilibrium positions of two air molecules in the pipe. The arrow represents
the velocity of the molecule at Y.
(ii) Draw an arrow on the diagram to represent the direction of motion of the molecule at X. [1]

(iii) Label a position N that is a node of the standing wave. [1]

(iv) The speed of sound is 340 m s–1 and the length of the pipe is 0.30 m.
Calculate, in Hz, the frequency of the sound. [2]

(b) The loudspeaker in (a) now emits sound towards an air–water boundary. A, B and C are parallel
wavefronts emitted by the loudspeaker. The parts of wavefronts A and B in water are not shown.
Wavefront C has not yet entered the water.

The speed of sound in air is 340 m s–1 and in water it is 1500 m s–1.
The wavefronts make an angle  with the surface of the water. Determine the maximum angle,  max
,at which the sound can enter water. Give your answer to the correct number of significant figures.
[2]

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