1
CAPITAL COLLEGE AND RESEARCH CENTER 13. Army officer orders his troop to hault their march while crossing
Koteshwor, Kathmandu
XII (SCIENCE)
Waves 14. Opera singer are able to break wine glass by singing. Expalin.
Short questions
15. Are particle velocity and wave velocity same? What is the case
1. When sound travels from air to water, does the frequency of the
wave change? The wavelength? The veolcity?
2. Why sound produced at a distance can be heard distinctly at
night than in day time?
3. Do sound waves need medium to travel from one place to other in
space? If it needs medium, what properties of medium is relevant?
4. What are condition for constructive and destructive interference
of light waves?
5. Velocity of sound is more in cloudy day?
6. Bells are made of steel but not of wood. Expalin.
7. When we throw stone in pound it results in ripples. The ampli-
tude of the ripples decreases with the increase in distance from
center. Explain.
8. Why is light called electromagnetic wave. Expalin
9. Sketch a diagram to describe the reflection of wave from rigid
boundary and free boundary.
10. When a pulse travels on a taut string, does it always invert upon
reflection? Explain.
11. What will be the phase change when a pulse travelling in a taut
string, after reflection from rigid boundary and free boundary?
12. Why is a solid substance able to transport both longitudi nal
waves and transverse waves, but a homogeneous fluid is able to
transport only longitudinal waves?
bridge. Expalin.
where maximum particle velocity is more or less or equal to the
wave velocity.
16. Can the assumption of massless string or sping usually assumed
in mechanics be used to explain the wave phenomenon in spring
or string.
17. How can you produce transverse and longitudial wave in the
clamped rod.
18. A displacement of particle is given by ~y = a sin(t kx)b
j. Is it
a longitudal or transverse wave.
19. Write a equation of a longitudial wave moving towards positive
x-axis, with amplitude a and velocity v and frequency f .
20. What is free and forced vibration? Expalin resonance with exam-
ple.
21. In a stationary wave no energy passes through the nodes. Explain
that the energy is confined in the intranodal oscillation.
22. Two transverse wave on a string are travelling in opposite direc-
tion, having equal frequency and amplitude after superpostion
need not always form the stationary wave. Expalin.
23. Velocity of sound in steel is more than that of water though the
density of steel is very high. Expalin
24. Velocity of sound in humid air is more than that of dry air. Ex-
plain. Also explain the case what happens in case of dry helium
and humid helium.
25. Which will have greater velocity of sound at constant tempera-
ture, helium or deuterium. Expalin.
2
26. Two waves of frequencies 20Hz and 20kHz pass through a steel
rod. Which one will have more velocity and wavelength?
27. Which one will travel faster in air, sound of explosion travel faster
than the sound produced by humming of bee. Expalin
28. The speed of sound wave in air depends on the temperature but
the speed of light waves doesnt. Why.
29. Information of the distant comming train is obtained faster if we
place our ear in rails. Expalin.
30. Does the speed of propagation of sound depends on the amplitude
of the sound? Expalin
31. Why was the Newtons assumption i.e the wave motion a slow
process for gas incorrect. With reference to what is slow and fast
defined.
32. Show that velocity of sound is independent of change in pressure
alone.
33. What is the physical meaning of phase lead and phase lag?
34. In a capacitor current leads potential with a phase of
. What
2
does it signify physically.
35. Two waves y = a sin(tk x) ,y = b sin(tk x+/6), superpose
to give a wave. Find the resulting amplitude and phase shift of
resulting wave using phasor diagram.
36. Find the ratio of sepeed of sound in diatomic gas to the rms speed
of gas molecules at same temperature.
Numerical:
1. The speed of sound in water is about 1480 m s1 . Find the fre-
quency of sound wave such that its wavelength in water is same
as the wavelenght in air at 20 C of sound wave of frequency 1000
Hz.(Velocity of sound at 20 C in air is 345m s1 )
2. The equation of a certain traveling wave is
 
t x
~y = 2 sin 2 x
0.01 30
where x and y are in centimeters and t is in seconds.
(a) Which type of wave is it (Longitudinal or Transverse)
(b) find the amplitude
(c) find the wavelength
(d) find the frequency
(e) find the speed of the propagation of the wave
3. A transverse sine wave of amplitude 10cm and wavelength 200cm
travels from left to right along a long horizontal stretched string
with the speed of 100cm s1 . Take the origin at the left end of
the undisturbed string. At time t=0, the left end of the string is
at the origin and is moving downwards.
(a) What is the frequency of the wave?
(b) what is the angular frequency of wave?
(c) What is the propagation constant?
(d) What is the equation of the wave?
(e) What is the equation of the motion of the left end of the
string?
(f) What is the equation of the motion of the particle 150cm to
the right of the orgin?
(g) What is the (absolute)maximum transverse velocity of any
particle of the string?
(h) Find the transverse displacement and transverse of a particle
150cm to the right of origin, at t=3.25s.
(i) * Make a sketch of the shape of the string, for a length of
400cm, and at time t=0, 1, 2 ,3, 3.25 [Hint. Find the values
of y for x=0,50,100,150,200,....,400 for t=0,1,2,3,3.25.]

4. Two sinusodial waves with identical wavelenths and amplitudes
in opposite directions along a string with a speed of 10cm s1 . If
the time interval between instants when the string is flat is 0.50s,
what is the wavelength of the individual waves?
5. A string oscillates according to the equation
h i
y = (0.50cm) cos cm1 x sin[(s1 )t]
2 each clap mid-way between the two claps. How far is the obstacle
Find:
(a) amplitude and speed of two waves(identical except for the
direction of travel) whose superpositon gives this oscillation
(b) distance between any two consecutive nodes
(c) distance between any two nearest nodes and antinodes
(d) The transverse speed of the particle of the string at the pos-
tion x=1.5cm when t= 98 s
(e) * Make a sketch of the shape of the string, for a length of
4cm and at time t=0,1,2,3,4. [Hint. Find the values of y for
x=0,.25,.5,.75,1,...2 for t=0,1,2,3,4]
6. ** A generator at one end of a very long string creates a wave
given by y1 = a sin(t kx) which reflects from a rigid bound-
ary forming a reflected wave y2 = a sin(t + kx). Two waves
superpose to give a standing wave. Find
(a) Displacement of the paricle in string due to the result of
superposition (i.e y = y1 + y2 )
(b) The position for the antinodes
(c) The position for the nodes
(d) The distance between the nearest nodes and antinodes.
(e) Compare the results of (b),(c) and (d) with the result ob-
tained in the class lecture.
7. A directional loudspeaker aims a sound wave of frequency 200Hz
at a wall. At what distance from the wall would you stand and
hear no sound at all.(Given: velocity of sound in air 340 m/s)
3
8. A stone is dropped into a well 78.4m deep. After what time will
the splash of water be heard.[Velocity of sound in air= 350 m/s]
9. A stone is thrown with a velocity 0.5 m s1 into a well 78.4m
deep. After what time will the splash of water be heard.[Velocity
of sound in air= 350 m/s]
10. A boy claps his hands once in every second and hears the echo of
from the boy.[Velocity of sound in air 340m/s]
11. If the velocity of sound in air at 30 C is 350m s1 . Calculate the
ratio of the molar heat capacity of air. (Density of air at 0 C is
1.29 kg m3 ).
12. If a detonator is exploded on a railway line an observer standing
on the rail 2 km away hears two sound. What is the time interval
between these two report. (Y=2.01011 N m2 , steel = 8.0
103 Kg m3 , air = 1.4Kg m3 , air = 1.4, P = 105 N m2 )
13. The velocity of sound in air saturated with water vapour at 30 C
is 340 m s1 . If the atmospheric pressure is 65 cm of Hg and
saturated vapour pressure at 30 C is 31.7 mm of Hg. Calculate
velocity of sound in dry air at 0 C.
14. Speed of longitudial wave in the mixture of He and Ne at 300
K was found to be 758m s1 . What is the composition of the
mixture.
15. The atomic mass of iodine is 127 gm/mol. A standing wave in
iodine vapour at 400K produces nodes that are 6.77cm apart when
frequency is 1000Hz. Is iodine vapour monoatomic or diatomic.
16. Find the percentage change in velocity if the percentage change
in temperature is (a) 1% (b)10% (Keeping other quantities fixed).
Given intial temperature to be 20 C
17. Find the percentage change in the velocity if the percentage
change in temperature and molar mass is (a) 1% and 2% respec-
tively. and (b) 10% and 20% respectively. Given initial tempera-
ture to be 20 C and molar mass of gas mixture to be 28 g mole1
4
18. Find the temperature in C at which the velocity of sound is half
its value at 0 C.
19. Find the ratio of speed of sound in helium and nitrogen at con-
stant temperature.
20. Find the speed of sound in hydrogen at NTP if the speed of sound
in air at NTP is 332m/s.
21. Oxygen is 16 times heavier than hydrogen. Equal volume of hy-
drogen and oxygen are mixed. Find the ratio of velocity of sound
in mixture to oxygen.
22. A circular disc has 1200 holes and it is rotating at the rate 720
cycles/min. Find the frequency of note emitted.
23. Find the velocity of sound in Mars. If the composition of the
atmosphere in Mars is
Fraction of composition
carbondioxide 0.96
Argon 0.021
Nitrogen 0.019
Oxygen 0.00145
Carbonmonoxide 0.000557
24. A mixture of gas contains Ne(50%), Oxygen(30%) and
Ozone(20%). Find the velocity of sound in the mixture at NTP.
25. The interval between the flash of lighting and the sound of thunder
is 2 seconds, when the temperature is 10 C. How far is the storm
if the velocity of sound in air at 0 C is 330 m s1 .
26. A man stanging at one end of a closed corridor 57m long blows a
short balst of whistle. He found that the time from the blast to Questions:
the sixth echo was 2 seconds. If the temperature was 17 C, what
was the velocity of sound at 0 C. 1. Describe the formation of mechanical wave with the explaination
27. Let us consider a pipe 2km long and filled with water. If we
add a drop of colored water from one end, a drop of water comes
out from other end. However same colored drop doesnt come
out from the next end, but uncolored drop comes out from next
end. The information about the addition of the colored water
drop travels as the pressure wave, which travels with the velocity
of sound in water. So, find after how much time will the drop
comes out, take t=0 the time when colored drop is added to pipe.
water = 1000kg m3 and Bulk modulus of water = 2.2109 Pa. If
the drop added had average velocity 1cm s1 find the time taken
by the drop to reach other end.
[Note: In the instant lightining of bulb, pressure wave is analog
to the velocity of impule or information (Electromagnetic waves
which travels with the speed of light) and average velocity of drop
is analog to drift velocity.]
28. Let us consider a longitudial wave travelling in +x axis given by
y = a sin(t kx), where symbols have their usual meaning.
Pressure difference at a segment can be defined using the defina-
tion of Bulk modulus i.e p = B V . Now, original volume can
V
be given by V = Ax and change in volume V = Ay. So,
V y
= x . So, p = B xy
B dx dy
. As a acoustic wave trav-
V
els forming compression and rarefaction, there is also harmonic
change in the pressure difference during acoustic flow. And this
harmonic pressure difference flow during acoustic flow is called
the pressure wave. Find the equation of the pressure wave for
above longitudial wave. Find the pressure difference amplitude.
[The displacement node is pressure difference antinodes and vice-
versa. We hear sound due to oscillation of the tymphanic mem-
brane, and amplitude of vibration is proportional with the pres-
sure difference. So, we hear maximum sound intensity at pressure
antinodes i.e displacement nodes and minimum sound intensity is
heard at the pressure nodes i.e displacement antinode.]
of the requirement of the inertial and elastic property of medium.
2. Describe the formation of the wave in surface of water.
 5

3. Differentiate between longitudinal wave and transvese wave.

4. Define progressive wave and derive an expression for the wave

function that describes a progressive wave. Point out some char-
acteristis of progressive wave

5. Define superposition principle in wave motion.Use it to derive

an expression of a standing wave taking appropriate conditions
required for it. Also, point out some of its characteristics.

6. Differentiate between progressive and stationary wave.

7. Derive the relation between modulus of elasticity, density of

medium and velocity of acoustic wave in it using dimensional
analysis.

8. Derive the Newtons formula for the velocity of sound in gas with
approprite approximations. How did Laplace corrected the dis-
cepency occured in Newtons formula.

9. Describe the effect of pressure, temperature, type of gas used,

atomicity of gas used, velocity of wind, frequency and amplitude
in speed of sound in gas.