Tutorial
Chapter 17 solution
1. Suppose that the separation between two speakers A and B is 6.00 m and the
speakers are vibrating in-phase. They are playing identical 115-Hz tones and the
speed of sound is 343 m/s. An observer is seated at a position directly facing
speaker B in such a way that his line of sight extending to B is perpendicular to the
imaginary line between A and B. What is the largest possible distance between
speaker B and the observer, such that he observes destructive interference?
1. REASONING For destructive interference to occur, the difference in travel distances for
the sound waves must be an integer number of half wavelengths. For larger and larger
distances between speaker B and the observer at C, the difference in travel distances
becomes smaller and smaller. Thus, the largest possible distance between speaker B
and the observer at C occurs when the difference in travel distances is just one half
wavelength.
SOLUTION Since the triangle ABC in Figure 17.7 is a right triangle, we can apply the
Pythagorean theorem to obtain the distance dAC as 6.00 m 2 d BC
2
. Therefore,
the difference in travel distances is
v
6.00 m 2 d BC
2
d BC
2 2f
where we have used Equation 16.1 to express the wavelength as = v/f. Solving for
the distance dBC gives
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 1 Dr. S.H. Choy
2
v v
6.00 m 2
d BC
2
d BC or 6.00 m 2
d BC
2
d BC
2f 2f
d BC v v2 d BC v v2
6.00 m 2 d BC
2
d BC
2
or 6.00 m 2
f 4f2 f 4f2
v2 343 m/s 2
6.00 m 2
6.00 m
2
4 115 Hz
2
4f2
d BC = 11.3 m
v 343 m/s
f 115 Hz
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7. The drawing shows a loudspeaker A and point C, where a listeer is positioned. A
second loudspeaker B is located somewhere to the right of A. Both speakers vibrate in
phase and are playing a 68.6-Hz tone. The speed of sound is 343 m/s. What is the
closest to speaker A that speaker B can be located, so that the listener hears no sound?
7. REASONING The geometry of the positions of the loudspeakers and the listener is shown
in the following drawing.
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 2 Dr. S.H. Choy
The listener at C will hear either a loud sound or no sound, depending upon whether
the interference occurring at C is constructive or destructive. If the listener hears no
sound, destructive interference occurs, so
n
d2 d1 n 1, 3, 5, (1)
2
SOLUTION Since v f , according to Equation 16.1, the wavelength of the tone is
v 343 m/s
= = 5.00 m
f 68.6 Hz
Speaker B will be closest to Speaker A when n 1 in Equation (1) above, so
n 5.00 m
d2 d1 1.00 m 3.50 m
2 2
From the figure above we have that,
x1 (1.00 m) cos 60.0 0.500 m
y (1.00 m) sin 60.0 0.866 m
Then
x22 y 2 d22 (3.50 m)2 or x2 (3.50 m)2 (0.866 m)2 3.39 m
Therefore, the closest that speaker A can be to speaker B so that the listener hears no
sound is x1 x2 0.500 m 3.39 m 3.89 m .
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AP10001 Introduction to Physics 3 Dr. S.H. Choy
9. Two loudspeakers on a concert stage are vibrating in phase. A listener is 45.8 m
from the left speaker and 25.2 m from the right one. The listener can respond to all
frequencies from 20 to 20 000 Hz, and the speed of sound is 343 m/s. What is the
lowest frequency that can be heard loudly due to constructive interference?
9. REASONING The fact that a loud sound is heard implies constructive
interference, which occurs when the difference in path lengths is an integer
number 1, 2, 3, of wavelengths. This difference is 45.8 m 25.2 m = 20.6
m. Therefore, constructive interference occurs when 20.6 m = n where n = 1, 2,
3, …. The wavelength is equal to the speed v of sound divided by the frequency f;
= v/f (Equation 16.1). Substituting this relation for into 24.5 m = n, and
solving for the frequency gives
nv
f
20.6 m
This relation will allow us to find the two lowest frequencies that the listener
perceives as being loud due to constructive interference.
SOLUTION The lowest frequency occurs when n = 1:
nv 1 343 m/s
f 17 Hz
20.6 m 20.6 m
This frequency lies below 20 Hz, so it cannot be heard by the listener. For n = 2
and n = 3, the frequencies are 33 and 50 Hz , which are the two lowest
frequencies that the listener perceives as being loud.
31. Suppose the strings on a violin are stretched with the same tension and each has
the same length between its two fixed ends. The musical notes and corresponding
fundamental frequencies of two of these strings are G (196.0 Hz) and E (659.3 Hz).
The linear density of the E string is 3.47 x 10-4 kg/m. What is the linear density of the
G string?
31. REASONING According to Equation 17.3, the fundamental (n = 1) frequency of a string
fixed at both ends is related to the wave speed v by f1 v / 2 L , where L is the length
of the string. Thus, the speed of the wave is v = 2Lf1. Combining this with Equation
16.2, v F /(m / L) , we have, after some rearranging,
F
4 f12 (m / L)
L2
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 4 Dr. S.H. Choy
Since the strings have the same tension and the same lengths between their fixed ends,
we have
2
f1E (m / L)E f1G
2
(m / L)G
where the symbols “E” and “G” represent the E and G strings on the violin. This
equation can be solved for the linear density of the G string.
SOLUTION The linear density of the string is
2
2
f1E f
( m / L)G (m / L) E 1E ( m / L) E
2
f1G f
1G
2
659.3 Hz
196.0 Hz
3.47 10-4 kg/m 3.93 10-3 kg/m
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33. A string has a linear density of 8.5 x 10-3 kg/m and is under a tension of 280 N.
The string is 1.8 m long, is fixed at both ends, and is vibrating in the standing wave
pattern shown in the drawing. Determine the (a) speed, (b)wavelength,
and (c) frequency of the traveling waves that make up the standing wave.
33. REASONING A standing wave is composed of two oppositely traveling waves.
F
The speed v of these waves is given by v (Equation 16.2), where F is
m/ L
the tension in the string and m/L is its linear density (mass per unit length). Both
F and m/L are given in the statement of the problem. The wavelength of the
waves can be obtained by visually inspecting the standing wave pattern. The
frequency of the waves is related to the speed of the waves and their wavelength
by f = v/ (Equation 16.1).
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 5 Dr. S.H. Choy
SOLUTION
a. The speed of the waves is
F 280 N
v 180 m/s
m/ L 8.5 103 kg/m
1.8 m
b. Two loops of any standing wave comprise one
wavelength. Since the string is 1.8 m long and consists
of three loops (see the drawing), the wavelength is
2
3 1.8 m 1.2 m
c. The frequency of the waves is
v 180 m/s
f 150 Hz
1.2 m
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37. The E string on an electric bass guitar has a length of 0.612 m and, when
producing the E note, vibrates at a fundamental frequency of 41.2 Hz. Players
sometimes add to their instruments a device called a "D-tuner". This device allows the
E string to be used to produce the note D, which has a fundamental frequency of 36.7
Hz. The D-tuner works by extensing the length of the string, keeping all other factors
the same. By how much does a D-tuner extend the length of the E string?
37. REASONING We can find the extra length that the D-tuner adds to the E-string by
calculating the length of the D-string and then subtracting from it the length of the E
string. For standing waves on a string that is fixed at both ends, Equation 17.3 gives
the frequencies as f n n(v / 2L) . The ratio of the fundamental frequency of the D-
string to that of the
E-string is
fD v /(2 LD ) LE
fE v /(2 LE ) LD
This expression can be solved for the length LD of the D-string in terms of quantities
given in the problem statement.
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 6 Dr. S.H. Choy
SOLUTION The length of the D-string is
f 41.2 Hz
LD LE E (0.612 m) 0.687 m
f 36.7 Hz
D
The length of the E-string is extended by the D-tuner by an amount
LD LE 0.687 m 0.612 m 0.075 m
AP10001 Introduction to Physics 7 Dr. S.H. Choy
