SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

General Physics 1
2nd Quarter – Module 4
Damped Oscillations and Mechanical Waves
 General Physics 1 – Grade 12
2nd Quarter – Module 4: Damped Oscillations and Mechanical Waves
2nd Edition 2021

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Developer/Writer:

MRS. MYRRAH JOY N. CABAJAR - Master Teacher I, Mabolo National High School

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MRS. JOCELYN BUTANAS – Master Teacher I, Talamban National High School
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 Quarter :Second Quarter
Content Standard : The learner demonstrates understanding of damped
and driven oscillation, mechanical waves and sound.
Performance Standard : Solve multi-concept, rich context problems using
concepts from rotational motion, fluids, oscillations,
gravity and thermodynamics.
Learning Outcomes (Syllabus) :Upon the completion of the given unit, the SHS
students are expected to describe damped and driven
oscillation, mechanical waves and sound using the
concept of speed, wavelength, frequency, period,
direction, and wave number.
Competencies : STEM_GP12PM-IId-28, STEM_GP12PM-IId-31,
STEM_GP12PM-IId-32, STEM_GP12MWS-IIe-34
Duration : Week 4
Topics : Damped Oscillations and Mechanical Waves

What I need to Know

You may recall learning that periodic motion is a motion of an object that
regularly repeats, in which the object returns to a given position after a fixed time
interval. In some ways, this module is a continuation of periodic motion. By
studying damped oscillations and mechanical waves, we shall find that a small
number of underlying principles describe all of them and that wave phenomena are
more common than you have ever imagined.

In this module, we will explore damped oscillations, mechanical waves and

sound.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

 differentiate underdamped, overdamped, and critically damped
motion;
 define mechanical wave, longitudinal wave, transverse wave, periodic wave,
and sinusoidal wave;
 from a given sinusoidal wave function infer the speed, wavelength,
frequency, period, direction, and the wave number;
 apply the inverse-square relation between the intensity of waves and the
distance from the source.

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 What I Know
Instruction: Write the letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet of
paper.
1. What is the force that makes oscillations damped?
A. linear motion B. restoring force C. frictional force D. mechanical force
2. What will happen to the motion when friction reduces the mechanical energy of
the system as time passes? The motion will become ____________.
A. damped B. lineated C. randomed D. simpled
3. What do you call the oscillations of a system in the presence of some resistive
force?
A. linear oscillations C. random oscillations
B. damped oscillations D. simple harmonic motion
4. What type of wave if the particles of the medium are vibrating to and fro in the
same direction of energy transport?
A. sound B. standing C. transverse D. longitudinal
5. What type of wave when the particles of a medium are vibrating at right angles to
the direction of energy transport?
A. sound B. standing C. transverse D. longitudinal
6. What will happen to the wavelength as a wave travels into a medium in which its
speed increases?
A. decrease C. remains the same
B. increase D. it will increase and decrease after
7. What is transported when a sound wave travels from one place to another?
A. air B. density C. energy D. wave
8. Which of the following is the speed of a wave traveling with a wavelength λ,
frequency f, and period T?
𝜆 𝑓
A. v = 𝑓
B. v =𝜆 C. v = λ·f D. v = f·T
9. What happens to the speed of the wave if its frequency doubles and the
wavelength remains the same? It ____________.
A. doubles C. is halved
B. quadruples D. remains unchanged
10. A sound wave is a mechanical wave, not an electromagnetic wave. What does it
mean?
A. A sound wave transports its energy through a vacuum.
B. A medium is required in order for sound waves to transport energy.
C. The particles of the medium regularly and repeatedly oscillate about their rest
position.
D. The particles of the medium move perpendicular to the direction of energy
transport.
11. If you strike a horizontal rod vertically from above, what can be said about the
waves created in the rod? The particles ___________________.
A. vibrate horizontally along the direction of the rod
B. travel along the rod from the point of impact to its end
C. vibrate in circles, perpendicular to the direction of the rod
D. vibrate vertically, perpendicular to the direction of the rod

For numbers 12-14, refer to the problem below.

A transverse wave is observed to be moving along a lengthy rope. Adjacent crests
are positioned 2.4 m apart. Exactly six crests are observed to move past a given

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point along the medium in 9.1 seconds. Determine the wavelength, frequency
and speed of these waves.
12. What is the wavelength of the transverse wave?
A. 2.1 m B. 2.2 m C. 2.3 m D. 2.4 m
13. What is the frequency of the wave?
A. 0.56 Hz B. 0.66 Hz C. 0.76 Hz D. 0.86 Hz
14. What is the speed of the wave?
A. 1.6 m/s B. 2.6 m/s C. 3.6 m/s D. 4.6 m/s
15. The frequency of a wave increases when the speed remains the same. What
happens to the distance between two consecutive crests? It ______________.
A. increases C. stays unchanged
B. decreases D. increases first and then decreases

Lesson 1 Damped Oscillations

Look at the four pictures below. What do they have all in common? They all
oscillate—-that is, they move back and forth between two points. Many systems
oscillate, and they have certain characteristics in common. All oscillations involve
force and energy. You push a child in a swing to get the motion started. You put
energy into a guitar string when you pluck it.

Figure 1.1 A child on a swing, speaker, guitar and heart

beating.
https://tinyurl.com/y4whj9vk
https://tinyurl.com/y27tzxeu
https://tinyurl.com/y4vzfpcr
https://tinyurl.com/y2bqsak3

Vibrations and oscillations are part of your everyday life. Within minutes of
waking up, you may well experience vibrations in a wide variety of forms: the
buzzing of the alarm clock, the bounce of your bed, the oscillations of a loud
speaker, which in turn are produced by oscillations of charges in electric circuits.
Some are very welcome and aesthetically pleasing, such as vibrations of musical
instruments. Others, such as the vibrations caused by machinery and traffic are
annoying and noisy.

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 Exercise 1.1 Keep on buzzing!
List examples of vibrating objects and write down their advantages and
disadvantages.
Example of Vibrating
Objects Advantage Disadvantage
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

What Is It

Damped Harmonic Motion

The oscillatory motions that we have considered in the previous lesson is for
ideal systems-that is systems that oscillate indefinitely under the action of only one
force - a linear restoring force. In the real world, oscillations seldom follow true
SHM. Friction of some sort usually acts to dampen the motion so it dies away, or
needs more force to continue. In many real systems, nonconservative forces, such
as friction, retard the motion. Consequently, the mechanical energy of the system
diminishes in time, and the motion is said to be damped.
A guitar string stops oscillating a few seconds after being plucked. To keep
swinging on a playground swing, you must keep pushing. Although we can often
make friction and other nonconservative forces small or negligible, completely
undamped motion is rare. In fact, we may even want to damp oscillations, such as
with car shock absorbers.
Figure 1.2 below depicts one such system: an object attached to a spring
and submersed in a viscous liquid.

Figure 1.2 An object attached to a spring and submersed in a viscous liquid.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013

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 A real oscillating system will over time experience a decrease in amplitude as
a result of internal friction and air resistance. In over time, if the mass is stretched
(Figure 1.3) and let go, the object will eventually come into a complete rest. Some of
the Kinetic Energy and Elastic Potential Energy is transformed into thermal energy
of the spring and the mass as well as the thermal energy of the molecules
surrounding the object.
The amplitude decreases since the energy goes into thermal energy. If we
graph the motion of the object where the y axis is the displacement and the x axis
is the time, you can see the diagram below.

Figure 1.3 For a mass on a spring

oscillating in a viscous liquid, the
period remains constant, but the
amplitudes of the oscillations
decrease due to the damping
caused by the liquid.
https://tinyurl.com/y5fkwwp3

Notice initially when the object is stretched to a maximum displacement to

the amplitude at time equals to zero, the object is found at the position +Ao. But
eventually over time the amplitude will decrease as shown by the dash line (Figure
1.4), the object will come to a complete rest. This type of realistic harmonic motion
is known as damped harmonic motion. In real situation, any object that is
vibrating or oscillating back and forth is experiencing damped harmonic motion.
Simple harmonic motion is much easier to deal with mathematically. In fact,
we could use in some instances SHM to approximate damped harmonic motion.

Figure 1.4 Graph of position versus time for a damped oscillator.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013
Damping force is the force that acts on the object to impede the oscillation,
so it creates the damped harmonic motion. It is also called retarding force. In
equation,

Fdamping = -bv or

R = -bv
where b is the proportionality constant or damping coefficient
v is the velocity of the oscillation of the object
Fdamping or R is the retarding force

If the magnitude of the velocity is small, meaning the mass oscillates slowly, the
damping force is proportional to the velocity and acts against the direction of
motion.

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 When the retarding force is small compared with the maximum restoring
force, that is when b is small, the solution is

where the angular frequency of oscillation is

Recall that the angular frequency of a mass undergoing SHM is equal to the square
root of the force constant divided by the mass. This is often referred to as
the natural angular frequency, in the absence of retarding force (the undamped
oscillator) which is represented as

Figure 1.4 shows the position as a function of time for an object oscillating
in the presence of a retarding force. We see that when the retarding force is
small, the oscillatory character of the motion is preserved but the amplitude
decreases in time, with the result that the motion ultimately ceases. Any
system that behaves in this way is known as a damped oscillator. The dashed
blue lines in Figure 1.4, define the envelope of the oscillatory curve. This envelope
shows that the amplitude decays exponentially with time. For motion with a
given spring constant and object mass, the oscillations dampen more rapidly as the
maximum value of the retarding force approaches the maximum value of the
restoring force.
The angular frequency of a damped oscillator becomes

When the magnitude of the maximum retarding force Rmax = bvmax < kA, (the
damping constant is small) the system is said to be underdamped. The resulting
motion is represented by the blue curve in Figure 1.5. As the value of b increases,
the amplitude of the oscillations decreases more and more rapidly. Many systems
are underdamped, and oscillate while the amplitude decreases exponentially, such
as the mass oscillating on a spring. The damping may be quite small, but
eventually the mass comes to rest.
When b reaches a critical value bc such that bc/2m = ω0, the system does not
oscillate and is said to be critically damped. In this case the system, once released
from rest at some nonequilibrium position, approaches but does not pass through
the equilibrium position. The graph of position versus time for this case is the red
curve in Figure 1.5. An example of a critically damped system is the shock
absorbers in a car. It is advantageous to have the oscillations decay as fast as
possible. Here, the system does not oscillate, but asymptotically approaches the
equilibrium condition as quickly as possible.
If the medium is so viscous that the retarding force is greater than the
restoring force—that is, if Rmax = bvmax > kA and b/2m > ω0—the system is
overdamped. Again, the displaced system, when free to move, does not oscillate

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but simply returns to its equilibrium position. As the damping increases, the time
interval required for the system to approach equilibrium also increases, as
indicated by the black curve in Figure 1.5. An overdamped system will approach
equilibrium over a longer period of time. An automatic door close is an example of
an overdamped system.
Whenever friction is present in a system, whether the system is overdamped
or underdamped, the energy of the oscillator eventually falls to zero. The lost
mechanical energy is transformed into internal energy in the object and the
retarding
medium.

Figure 1.5 Graphs of position versus time for (a) an undamped

oscillator, (b) a critically damped oscillator and (c) overdamped
oscillator.
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed

What’s More

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Exercise 1.2 Remember Me!

Instructions: Identify the word(s) that best describes the statement. Write your answers
on the separate sheet of paper.
_______________1. It is the force that acts on the object to impede the oscillation.
_______________2. It is equal to the square root of the force constant divided by
the mass.
_______________3. It is any system that behaves where an object oscillates in the
presence of a retarding force.
_______________4. It is a harmonic oscillator that decays to the equilibrium
position without oscillations.
_______________5. It is a harmonic oscillator that oscillates with a frequency
smaller than in the non-damped case and an amplitude
decreasing with time.

Exercise 1.3 Think Before you Write!

Instructions: Answer the following questions concisely. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. Will damped oscillations occur for any values of b and k? Explain.
2. Is it possible to have damped oscillations when a system is at resonance?
Why?
3. What makes a critically damped system?

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 Lesson 2 Mechanical Waves

The idea of waves is very familiar to you every day, with the most common
example –the water waves. Most of us have seen and experienced ocean waves
moving toward a beach, or have generated waves by ourselves by dropping stones
in a pond. Just like the little boy in the picture below. At the point where the pebble
hits the water’s surface, waves are created.

Figure 2.1 A boy throwing pebble into the pond.

https://tinyurl.com/y3k9m8fn

These waves move outward from the creation point in expanding circles until
they reach the shore. If you were to examine carefully for example the motion of a
beach ball floating on the disturbed water, you would see that the ball moves
vertically and horizontally about its original position but does not undergo any net
displacement away from or toward the point where the pebble hit the water. The
small elements of water in contact with the beach ball, as well as all the other
water elements on the pond’s surface, behave in the same way. That is, the water
wave moves from the point of origin to the shore, but the water is not carried with
it.
If we are going to consider further the beach ball floating on the water, take
note that we have caused the ball to move at one point in the water by dropping a
pebble at another location. Energy must have transferred from the point at which
we drop the pebble to the position of the ball because the ball gained kinetic energy
from our action. This is a central feature of wave motion—energy is transferred
over a distance, but matter is not.
All waves carry energy, but the amount of energy transmitted through a
medium and the mechanism responsible for that transport of energy differ from

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every situation. For example, the power of ocean waves during a storm is much
greater than the power of sound waves generated by a single human
voice.

Exercise 2.1 Investigating Wave!

Instructions: Identify the parts of the wave, and answer the questions directly.
I. Anatomy of a wave

A. ________________
B. ________________
C. ________________
D. ________________
E. ________________
F. ________________

II. Frequency

1. How many wavelengths long is wave 1?

_____________

2. How many wavelengths long is wave 2?

_____________

3. How many wavelengths long is wave 3?

_____________

4. Which wave has the highest frequency?

_____________

5. Which wave has the lowest frequency?

_____________

6. How can you tell by looking at it if a wave has

high or low frequency?
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
7. What is frequency?
_______________________________________

III. Amplitude

1. Which wave has the highest amplitude?

_____________

2. Which wave has the lowest amplitude?

_____________

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3. Use a ruler and measure the amplitude of wave 5. ____________
4. How can you tell by looking at it if a wave has high or low amplitude?
_______________________________________________________________________
5. What is amplitude?
_______________________________________________________________________

IV. Amplitude vs. Frequency

Compare waves A-D by both amplitude and frequency to the Standard Wave.
You can use (Higher, Lower, Same).

Amplitude: ____________ Amplitude: ____________

Frequency: ____________ Frequency: ____________

Amplitude: ____________ Amplitude: ____________

Frequency: ____________ Frequency: ____________

What Is It
Mechanical Waves

A mechanical wave is a wave that is not capable of transmitting its energy

through a vacuum. Mechanical waves require a medium in order to transport their
energy from one location to another. A sound wave is an example of a mechanical
wave. Sound waves are incapable of traveling through a vacuum. Slinky waves,
water waves, stadium waves, and jump rope waves are other examples of
mechanical waves; each requires some medium in order to exist. A slinky wave
requires the coils of the slinky; a water wave requires water; a stadium wave
requires fans in a stadium; and a jump rope wave requires a jump rope.
A transverse wave is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a
direction perpendicular to the direction that the wave moves. Suppose that a slinky
is stretched out in a horizontal direction across the classroom and that a pulse is

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introduced into the slinky on the left end by vibrating the first coil up and down.
Energy will begin to be transported through the slinky from left to right. As the
energy is transported from left to right, the individual coils of the medium will be
displaced upwards and downwards. In this case, the particles of the medium move
perpendicular to the direction that the pulse moves. Transverse waves are always
characterized by particle motion being perpendicular to wave motion.

Figure 2.2 A transverse wave.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013

A longitudinal wave is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a

direction parallel to the direction that the wave moves. Suppose that a slinky is
stretched out in a horizontal direction across the classroom and that a pulse is
introduced into the slinky on the left end by vibrating the first coil left and right.
Energy will begin to be transported through the slinky from left to right. As the
energy is transported from left to right, the individual coils of the medium will be
displaced leftwards and rightwards. In this case, the particles of the medium move
parallel to the direction that the pulse moves. Longitudinal waves are always
characterized by particle motion being parallel to wave motion.

Figure 2.3 A longitudinal wave.

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013

Waves may be transverse, longitudinal, or a combination of the two.

Examples of transverse waves are the waves on stringed instruments or surface
waves on water, such as ripples moving on a pond. Sound waves in air and water
are longitudinal. With sound waves, the disturbances are periodic variations
in pressure that are transmitted in fluids. Fluids do not have appreciable shear
strength, and for this reason, the sound waves in them are longitudinal
waves. Sound in solids can have both longitudinal and transverse components,
such as those in a seismic wave. Earthquakes generate seismic waves under
Earth’s surface with both longitudinal and transverse components (called
compressional or P-waves and shear or S-waves, respectively). The components of
seismic waves have important individual characteristics—they propagate at
different speeds. Earthquakes also have surface waves that are similar to surface
waves on water. Ocean waves also have both transverse and longitudinal
components
Consider a pulse traveling to the right on a long string, as shown in Figure
2.4. Figure 2.4a represents the shape and position of the pulse at time t = 0. At this

12
time, the shape of the pulse, whatever it may be, can be represented by some
mathematical function which we will write as y (x, 0) = f (x). This function
describes the transverse position y of the element of the string located at each
value of x at time t = 0. Because the speed of the pulse is v, the pulse has traveled
to the right a distance vt at the time t (Fig. 2.4b). We assume that the shape of the
pulse does not change with time. Thus, at time t, the shape of the pulse is the same
as it was at time t = 0, as in Figure 2.4a.

Figure 2.4 A one-dimensional pulse traveling to the right with a speed v.

(a) At t = 0, the shape of the pulse is given by y=f (x). At some later time t,
the shape remains unchanged and the vertical position of an element of
the medium any point P is given by y = f (x-vt).
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013

Consequently, an element of the string at x at this time has the same y position as
an element located at x - vt had at time t = 0:

y(x, t) = y(x - vt, 0)

In general, then, we can represent the transverse position y for all positions and
times, measured in a stationary frame with the origin at O, as
y(x, t) = f (x - vt)
Similarly, if the pulse travels to the left, the transverse positions of elements of the
string are described by
y(x, t) = f (x - vt)
The function y, sometimes called the wave function, depends on the two
variables x and t. For this reason, it is often written y(x, t), which is read “y as a
function of x and t.”
It is important to understand the meaning of y. Consider an element of the
string at point P, identified by a particular value of its x coordinate. As the pulse
passes through P, the y coordinate of this element increases, reaches a maximum,
and then decreases to zero. The wave function y(x, t) represents the y
coordinate—the transverse position—of any element located at position x at
any time t. Furthermore, if t is fixed (as, for example, in the case of taking a
snapshot of the pulse), then the wave function y(x), sometimes called the
waveform, defines a curve representing the actual geometric shape of the pulse at
that time.
A periodic wave is a wave with a repeating continuous pattern that moves
through a medium. The medium itself goes nowhere. The individual atoms and
molecules in the medium oscillate about their equilibrium position, but their
average position does not change. As they interact with their neighbors, they
transfer some of their energy to them. The neighboring atoms in turn transfer this
energy to their neighbors down the line. In this way the energy is transported
throughout the medium, without the transport of any matter.

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 Periodic waves are characterized by a frequency, a wavelength, and by their
speed. The wave frequency f is the oscillation frequency of the individual atoms or
molecules. The period T = 1/f is the time it takes any particular atom or molecule
to go through one complete cycle of its motion. The wavelength λ is the distance
along the direction of propagation between two atoms which oscillate in phase.
In a periodic wave, a pulse travels a distance of one wavelength λ in a time
equal to one period T. The speed v of the wave can be expressed in terms of these
quantities.
v = λ/T = λf
The relationship v = λf holds true for any periodic wave.

If the individual atoms and molecules in the medium move with simple
harmonic motion, the resulting periodic wave has a sinusoidal form. We call it
a harmonic wave or a sinusoidal wave.

Figure 2.5 A periodic wave.

https://tinyurl.com/y384eyu8

Sinusoidal Waves

The wave represented by the curve in Figure 2.5 is called a sinusoidal wave
because the curve is the same as that of the function sin θ plotted against θ. On a
rope, a sinusoidal wave could be established by shaking the end of the rope up and
down in simple harmonic motion.

Legend:
b a – at some later time
b – at time equals zero

Figure 2.6 A one-dimensional sinusoidal wave traveling to the right with a speed
v.
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013
The sinusoidal wave is the simplest example of a periodic continuous
wave and can be used to build more complex waves. The brown curve in Figure 2.6
represents a snapshot of a traveling sinusoidal wave at t = 0, and the blue curve
represents a snapshot of the wave at some later time t. Take note that there are two
types of motion that can be seen in your mind. First, the entire waveform moves to
the right so that the brown curve moves toward the right and eventually reaches
the position of the blue curve. This is the motion of the wave. If we focus on one
element of the medium, such as the element at x = 0, we see that each element

14
moves up and down along the y axis in simple harmonic motion. This is the motion
of the elements of the medium. It is important to differentiate between the motion
of the wave and the motion of the elements of the medium.

Figure 2.7 The anatomy of a wave

Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John
Figure 2.7a shows aW.snapshot
2013 of a wave moving through
a medium. Figure
2.7b shows a graph of the position of one element of the medium as a function of
time. The point at which the displacement of the element from its normal position
is highest is called the crest of the wave. The distance from one crest to the next is
called the wavelength λ (Greek lambda). More generally, the wavelength is the
minimum distance between any two identical points (such as the crests) on
adjacent waves, as shown in Figure 2.7a.
If you count the number of seconds between the arrivals of two adjacent
crests at a given point in space, you are measuring the period T of the waves. In
general, the period is the time interval required for two identical points (such
as the crests) of adjacent waves to pass by a point. The period of the wave is
the same as the period of the simple harmonic oscillation of one element of the
medium.
The inverse of the period is called the frequency f. In general, the frequency
of a periodic wave is the number of crests (or troughs, or any other point on the
wave) that pass a given point in a unit time interval. The frequency of a sinusoidal
wave is related to the period by the expression

The frequency of the wave is the same as the frequency of the simple harmonic
oscillation of one element of the medium. The most common unit for frequency is
second-1, or hertz (Hz). The corresponding unit for T is seconds.
The maximum displacement from equilibrium of an element of the medium
is called the amplitude A of the wave.
Waves travel with a specific speed, and this speed depends on the properties
of the medium being disturbed. For instance, sound waves travel through room
temperature air with a speed of about 343 m/s (781 mi/h), whereas they travel
through most solids with a speed greater than 343 m/s.
The function describing the positions of the elements of the medium through
which the sinusoidal wave is traveling can be written as

15
where A is the wave amplitude
λ is the wavelength

The vertical position of an element of the medium is the same whenever x is

increased by an integral multiple of λ. If the wave moves to the right with a speed v,
then the wave function at some later time t is

That is, the traveling sinusoidal wave moves to the right a distance vt in the time t.
Note that the wave function has the form f (x - vt). If the wave were traveling to the
left, the quantity x - vt would be replaced by x + vt.
By definition, the wave travels a distance of one wavelength in one period T.
Therefore, the wave speed, wavelength, and period are related by the expression

Substituting this expression for v into equation from above, we find that

This form of the wave function shows the periodic nature of y. (We will often use y
rather than y(x, t) as a shorthand notation.) At any given time t, y has the same
value at the positions x, x + λ, x + 2λ, and so on. Furthermore, at any given position
x, the value of y is the same at times t, t + T, t + 2T, and so on.
We can express the wave function in a convenient form by defining two other
quantities, the angular wave number k (usually called simply the wave number)
and the angular frequency ω:

Using these definitions, then we can write wave function for a sinusoidal wave
as

We can express speed of a sinusoidal wave as,

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 The wave function given above assumes that the vertical position y of an
element of the medium is zero at x = 0 and t = 0. This need not to be the case. If it
is not, we generally express the wave function in the form

where is the phase constant

This constant can be determined from the initial conditions.

Sample Problem 1
A sinusoidal wave traveling in the positive x direction has an amplitude of
15.0 cm, a wavelength of 40.0 cm, and a frequency of 8.00 Hz. The vertical
position of an element of the medium at t = 0 and x = 0 is also 15.0 cm, as
shown in Figure 2.8.
a. Find the wave number k, period T, angular frequency ω, and speed
v of the wave.
b. Determine the phase constant , and write a general expression
for the wave

a. Given: A = 15.0 cm
Asked: k, T, ω, v
Solution:

b. Because A = 15.0 cm and because y = 15.0 cm at x = 0 and t = 0,

substitution into
gives

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 We may take the principal value

Hence, the wave function is of the form

By inspection, we can see that the wave function must have this form,
noting that the cosine function has the same shape as the sine function
displaced by 90°. Substituting the values for A, k, and ω into this
expression, we obtain

Sample Problem 2
For a certain transverse wave, the distance between two successive crests is
1.20 m, and eight crests pass a given point along the direction of travel
every 12.0 s. Calculate the wave speed.

Intensity of Periodic Sound Waves

The concept that a wave traveling on a taut string transports energy applies
to sound waves also. Consider an element of air of mass ∆m and width ∆x in front
of a piston oscillating with a frequency ω, as shown in Figure 2.9.

Figure 2.9 An oscillating piston transfers energy to the air in the tube, causing
the element of air of width ∆x and mass ∆m to oscillate an amplitude smax.
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed
Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013

The piston transmits energy to this element of air in the tube, and the
energy is propagated away from the piston by the sound wave. To evaluate the rate
of energy

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transfer for the sound wave, we shall evaluate the kinetic energy of this element of
air, which is undergoing simple harmonic motion.
As the sound wave propagates away from the piston, the position of any
element of air in front of the piston is given by

To evaluate the kinetic energy of this element of air, we need to know its speed. We
find the speed by taking the time derivative of the equation above.

Imagine that we take a “snapshot” of the wave at t = 0. The kinetic energy of

a given element of air at this time is

where A is the cross-sectional area of the element and A∆x is its volume. Now, as in

we integrate this expression over a full wavelength to find the total kinetic energy in
one wavelength. Letting the element of air shrink to infinitesimal thickness, so that
∆x dx, we have

As in the case of a string wave, the total potential energy for one wavelength has
the same value as the total kinetic energy; thus, the total mechanical energy for
one wavelength is

As the sound wave moves through the air, this amount of energy passes by a given
point during one period of oscillation. Hence, the rate of energy transfer is

where v is the speed of sound in air.

We define the intensity I of a wave, or the power per unit area, to be the rate
at which the energy being transported by the wave transfers through a unit area A
perpendicular to the direction of travel of the wave:

In the present case, therefore, the intensity is

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 Thus, we see that the intensity of a periodic sound wave is proportional to
the square of the displacement amplitude and to the square of the angular
frequency (as in the case of a periodic string wave). This can also be written in
terms of the pressure
amplitude ∆Pmax; in this case, we use

to obtain

Now consider a point source emitting sound waves equally in all directions.
From everyday experience, we know that the intensity of sound decreases as we
move farther from the source. We identify an imaginary sphere of radius r centered
on the source. When a source emits sound equally in all directions, we

describe the result as a spherical wave. The average power emitted by

the source must be distributed uniformly over this spherical surface of area .
Hence, the wave intensity at a distance r from the source is

This inverse-square law states that the intensity decreases in proportion to the
square of the distance from the source.

Sample Problem 1
The faintest sounds the human ear can detect at a frequency of 1 000 Hz
correspond to an intensity of about 1.00 x 10-12 W/m2—the so-called
threshold of hearing. The loudest sounds the ear can tolerate at this
frequency correspond to an intensity of about 1.00 W/m2— the threshold
of pain. Determine the pressure amplitude and displacement amplitude
associated with these two limits.
Remember: v = 343 m/s (as the speed of sound waves in air)
ρ = 1.20 kg/m3 (as the density of air)
Asked: pressure amplitude & displacement amplitude
Solution:

Because atmospheric pressure is about 105 N/m2, this result tells us that
the ear is sensitive to pressure fluctuations as small as 3 parts in 1010.
We can calculate the corresponding displacement amplitude by using

equation , recalling that

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 This is a remarkably small number! If we compare this result for smax with
the size of an atom (about 10-10 m), we see that the ear is an extremely
sensitive detector of sound waves. In a similar manner, one finds that the
loudest sounds the human ear can tolerate correspond to a pressure
amplitude of 28.7 N/m2 and a displacement amplitude equal to 1.11 x 10-5
m.

Sample Problem 2
A point source emits sound waves with an average power output of 80.0 W.
a. Find the intensity 3.00 m from the source.
Given: P = 80.0 W r = 3.00 m
Asked: I
Solution:

b. Find the distance at which the intensity of the sound is 1.00 x 10-8
W/m2.

Using this value of I, and solving for r we obtain

which equals about 16 miles!

What’s More
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Exercise 2.2. Remember Me!

Instructions: Identify the word(s) that best describes the statement. Write your answers on a
separate sheet of paper.
__________1. It is the rate at which the energy being transported by the wave
transfers
through a unit area A perpendicular to the direction of travel of the
wave.
__________2. It is the maximum displacement from equilibrium of an element of the
medium of the wave.
__________3. It is the number of crests or troughs, or any other point on the wave
that pass a given point in a unit time interval.
__________4. It is the distance from one crest to the next.
__________5. It is the point at which the displacement of the element from its
normal

21
 position is highest.
__________6. It is the distance along the direction of propagation between two atoms
which oscillate in phase.
__________7. It is a wave with a repeating continuous pattern that moves through a
medium.
__________8. It is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a direction
parallel
to the direction that the wave moves.
__________9. It is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a direction
perpendicular to the direction that the wave moves.
__________10. It is a wave that is not capable of transmitting its energy through a
vacuum.
Exercise 2.3. Think Critically!
Instructions: Solve the following problems below and write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper. Show your solution.
1. A bat can detect very small objects, such as an insect whose length is
approximately equal to one wavelength of the sound the bat makes. If a bat emits
chirps at a frequency of 60.0 kHz, and if the speed of sound in air is 340 m/s, what
is length of the smallest insect the bat can detect?
2. A sound wave in air has a pressure amplitude equal to 4.00 x 10-3 N/m2.
Calculate the displacement amplitude of the wave at a frequency of 10.0 kHz.
3. A sinusoidal sound wave is described by the displacement wave function
a. Find the amplitude, wavelength, and speed of this wave.
b. Determine the instantaneous displacement from equilibrium of the elements of
air at the position x = 0.0500 m at t = 3.00 milli second.
c. Determine the maximum speed of the element’s oscillatory motion.
4. A vacuum cleaner produces sound with a measured sound level of 70.0 dB.
a. What is the intensity of this sound in W/m2?
b. What is the pressure amplitude of the sound?
5. The intensity of a sound wave at a fixed distance from a speaker vibrating at
1.00 kHz is 0.600 W/m2.
a. Determine the intensity if the frequency is increased to 2.50 kHz while a
constant displacement amplitude is maintained.
b. Calculate the intensity if the frequency is reduced to 0.500 kHz and the
displacement amplitude is doubled.

What I Need To Remember

 The harmonic oscillator is a damped harmonic oscillator if a

frictional force is proportional to the velocity. Depending on the
coefficient of friction, the system is:
 underdamped harmonic oscillator if it oscillates with a
frequency smaller than in the non-damped case and an
amplitude decreasing with time; and
 overdamped harmonic oscillator if it decays to the
equilibrium position without oscillations.
 Critically damped is when a particular value of the coefficient of
friction is between an underdamped and an overdamped
oscillator.
 A mechanical wave is a wave that is not capable of transmitting
its energy through a vacuum.
 A transverse wave is a wave 22 in which particles of the medium
move in a direction perpendicular to the direction that the wave
moves
  A longitudinal wave is a wave in which particles of the
medium move in a direction parallel to the direction that the
wave moves.
 A periodic wave is a wave with a repeating continuous
pattern that moves through a medium.
 Periodic waves are characterized by a frequency,
a wavelength, and by their speed.
 The wave frequency f is the oscillation frequency of the
individual atoms or molecules.
 The period T = 1/f is the time it takes any particular atom or
molecule to go through one complete cycle of its motion.
 The wavelength λ is the distance along the direction of
propagation between two atoms which oscillate in phase.
 If the individual atoms and molecules in the medium move
with simple harmonic motion, the resulting periodic wave has
a sinusoidal form. We call it a harmonic wave or
a sinusoidal wave.
 We define the intensity I of a wave, or the power per unit
area, to be the rate at which the energy being transported by
the wave transfers through a unit area A perpendicular to the
direction of travel of the wave:

What I Can Do

STRAW WAVES
Purpose: To create a DIY wave model.
Materials: cello/adhesive tape, bunch of straws
Procedure:
1. Stick straws at equal gaps
on a 3-meter long sticky tape.
2. Stick another tape exactly on
top of the previous one.
3. Press hard to stick the two
tapes firmly.
4. Ask a friend to hold one end.
Hold the other end of the tape
tightly and twist the straws 23
to
make a wave.
 5. Twist or flick one end to
generate waves.

Questions:
1. How do the waves travel if you hold tight the model when you flick it?
2. How do the waves travel if you hold loosely the model when you
flick it?
3. What do you observe when you twist on both ends?
4. What is the role of energy in wave travel?

Instruction: Write the letter of the correct

answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of mechanical waves? They ____________.
A. transport energy
B. are created by a vibrating source
C. consist of disturbances or oscillations of a medium
D. cause the particles of the medium to have a net movement forward
For questions 2 and 3, refer to the diagram below.

2. What is the amplitude of the wave in the diagram?

A. 0.03 m B. 0.04 m C. 0.05 m D. 0.06 m
3. What is the wavelength of the wave in the diagram?
A. 0.030 m B. 0.040 m C. 0.060 m D. 0.080 m
4. A wave X meters long passes through a medium with a speed of Y meters per second.
How could the frequency of the wave be expressed?
A. Y/(X cycles/sec) C. X(Y cycles/sec)
B. X/(Y cycles/sec) D.(X + Y) cycles/sec
5. If the distance from point A to point B in the diagram is 60 cm, then what is the
wavelength of the wave?
A. 20 cm
B. 40 cm
C. 60 cm
D. 90 cm

24
For questions 6-8, refer to the problem below.
A student takes a 30.0 m-long string and attaches one end to the wall in the
physics lab. The student then holds the free end of the rope, keeping the tension
constant in the rope. The student then begins to send waves down the string by
moving the end of the string up and down with a frequency of 2.00 Hz. The
maximum displacement of the end of the string is 20.00 cm. The first wave hits
the lab wall 6.00 s after it was created.
6. What is the speed of the wave?
A. 1.00 m/s B. 3.00 m/s C. 5.00 m/s D.7.00 m/s
7. What is the period of the wave?
A. 0.25 s B. 0.50 s C. 0.75 s D. 1.00 s
8. What is the wavelength of the wave?
A. 2.44 m B. 2.50 m C. 2.55 m D. 2.60 m
9. How long does it take a wave of frequency 0.2 Hz and wavelength 2 m to travel along a
rope of length 4 m?
A. 4 s B. 6 s C. 8 s D. 10 s
10. The distance between the two troughs of the water surface waves is 20 m. An object
floats on the surface of the water so that it experiences the vibration motion. If the time to
travel one vibration is 4 seconds, then what is the velocity of wave in m/s?
A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8
11. The graph below displays the displacement of a point in one medium as a function of
time when a wave passes through the medium. If the wavelength is 6 meters, then what is
the speed of the wave propagation?

A. 3 m/s
B. 6 m/s
C. 8 m/s
D. 12 m/s
12. Based on the figure below, determine the amplitude, period, frequency and speed of
the wave. Which of the following data is correct?
4m

0 Note: This wave travels in

6 seconds.
-4 m

24 m

Amplitude Period Frequency Speed of wave

A. 2cm 1s 2 Hz 2 m/s
B. 4cm 1.5 s 3 Hz 2.5 m/s
C. 4m 2s 1.5 Hz 3 m/s
D. 4m 2s 0.5 Hz 4 m/s

13. When a damped harmonic oscillator completes 100 oscillations, its amplitude is
reduced to 1/3 of its initial value. What will be its amplitude when it completes 200
oscillations?
A. 1/9 B. 1/6 C. 1/5 D. 2/3
14. How are springs in cars damped?
A. by tires B. by engine C. by brake pedals D. by shock absorbers
15. What category of waves do transverse and longitudinal fall under?

25
A. surface B. mechanical C. electromagnetic D. primary

Congratulations! You are done with Module 4.

Text Book

Bacabac, Rommel G. et al. 2016. Teaching Guide for Senior High

School General Physics 1. Quezon City, June.

Santos, Gil Nonato C. 2017. General Physics 1. Manila: Rex Printing

Company, Inc.

Serway, Raymond A. and Jewett Jr., John W. 2013. Physics for

Scientists and Engineers, 9th ed. Massachusetts: Cengage
Learning.

Young, Hugh D. and Freedman, Roger A. 2012. University Physics

with Modern Physics, 13th ed. California: Pearson Education, Inc.
Websites

http://www.wright.edu/~guy.vandegrift/openstaxphysics/chaps/16%20Oscillatory
%20motion%20waves.pdf

http://www.cse.salford.ac.uk/physics/gsmcdonald/pp/PPLATOResources/h-
flap/p5_1t.pdf

https://opentextbc.ca/universityphysicsv1openstax/chapter/15-5-damped-
oscillations/
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/Categories-of-Waves

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/3888
/wave%20worksheet%20answer.pdf

https://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/cms/lib/GA01903603/Centricity/Domain/2519
/WaveIntroductionWaveTypesWaveFrequency.pdf

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-1/Categories-of-Waves

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/waves/Lesson-2/The-Anatomy-of-a-
Wave

http://labman.phys.utk.edu/phys221core/modules/m11/traveling_waves.html

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-physics/chapter/waves/
file:///C:/Users/Student/Downloads/Straw%20Waves%20-%20P.pdf

https://physics.gurumuda.net/transverse-waves-problems-and-solutions.htm
https://www.brainkart.com/article/Multiple-Choice-Questions---Physics--
Oscillations_36314/

Avatars
All avatars used in this module are created originally using the Bitmoji mobile
application. Created on October 29, 2020.

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