WAVE ON A STRING

WAVE ON A STRING
EXERCISE-1
PART (1) : EQUATION OF TRAVELLING WAVE (INCLUDING SINE WAVE)

OBJECTIVE
1. The equation of a wave travelling along the positive x–axis, as shown in figure at t = 0 is given
by:–
Y

+1

0 X
–0.5
–1

       
(A) sin  kx  t   (B) sin  kx  t   (C) sin  t  kx   (D) sin  t  kx  
6 6 6 6

2. For the wave shown in figure, the equation for the wave, travelling along +x axis with velocity
350 ms–1 when its position at t = 0 is as shown

314 379
(A) 0.05 sin ( x – 27475 t) (B) 0.05 sin ( x – 27475 t)
4 5

314 289
(C) 1 sin ( x – 27475 t) (D) 0.05 sin ( x + 27475 t)
4 5

3. The displacement of a wave disturbance propagating in the positive x-direction is given by

y = 1/(1 + x2) at time t = 0 and y = 1/[1 + (x – 1)2] at t = 2 seconds where x and y are in meters.
The shape of the wave disturbance does not change during the propagation. The velocity of the
wave is
(A) 2.5 m/s (B) 0.25 m/s (C) 0.5 m/s (D) 5 m/s
4. A transverse wave is described by the equation Y = Y0 sin 2 (ft – x/). The maximum particle
velocity is equal to four times the wave velocity if
(A)  =  Y0/4 (B)  =  Y0/2 (C)  =  Y0 (D)  = 2 Y0

5. A travelling wave on a string is given by y = A sin [x + t + ]. If  = 0.56 /cm,  = 12/sec,
6
A = 7.5 cm, then find the position and velocity of particle at x = 1 cm and t = 1s is
(A) 4.6 cm, 46.5 cm s–1 (B) 3.75 cm, 77.94 cm s–1
(C) 1.76 cm, 7.5 cm s–1 (D) 7.5 cm, 75 cm s–1

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 WAVE ON A STRING
6. A transverse wave of amplitude 0.50m, wavelength 1m and frequency 2 Hz is propagating on a
string in the negative x-direction. The expression of the wave is

(A) y(x, t) = 0.5 sin (2x – 4t) (B) y(x, t) = 0.5 cos (2x + 4t)

(C) y(x, t) = 0.5 sin (x – 2t) (D) y(x, t) = 0.5 cos (2x – 2t)

7. Both the strings, shown in figure, are made of same material

and have same cross-section. The pulleys are light. The wave
speed of a transverse wave in the string AB is v1 and in CD it is

v2. The v1/v2 is

1
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 2 (D)
2

8. Three blocks I, II, & III having mass of 1.6 kg, 1.6 kg and
3.2 kg respectively are connected as shown in the figure. The linear
mass density of the wire AB, CD and DE are 10 g/m, 8 g/m and
10 g/m respectively. The speed of a transverse wave pulse

produced in AB, CD and DE are : (g = 10 m/sec2)

(A) 80 m/s, 20 10 m/s, 40 m/s (B) 20 10 m/s, 40 m/s, 80 m/s

(C) 20 10 m/s in all (D) 80 m/s in all

9. Three consecutive flash photographs of a travelling wave on a string are reproduced in the figure
here. The following observations are made. Mark the one which is correct. (Mass per unit length
of the string = 3 g/cm.)

(A) displacement amplitude of the wave is 0.25 m, wavelength is 1 m, wave speed is 2.5 m/s
and the frequency of the driving force is 0.2/s.

(B) displacement amplitude of the wave is 2.0 m, wavelength is 2 m, wave speed is 0.4 m/s and
the frequency of the driving force is 0.7/s.

(C) displacement amplitude of the wave is 0.25 m, wavelength is 2 m, wave speed is 5 m/s and
the frequency of the driving force is 2.5 /s.

(D) displacement amplitude of the wave is 0.5 m, wavelength is 2 m, wave speed is 2.5 m/s and
the frequency of the driving force is 0.2/s.

10. A heavy ball is suspended from the ceiling of a motor car through a light string. A transverse
pulse travels at a speed of 50 cm/s on the string when the car is at rest and 52 cm/s when the
car accelerates on a horizontal road. Then acceleration of the car is : (Take g = 10 m/s2.)

(A) 2.7 m/s2 (B) 3.7 m/s2 (C) 2.4 m/s2 (D) 4.1 m/s2

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 WAVE ON A STRING

11. Two small boats are 10m apart on a lake. Each pops up and down with a period of 4.0 seconds
due to wave motion on the surface of water. When one boat is at its highest point, the other boat
is at its lowest point. Both boats are always within a single cycle of the waves. The speed of the
waves is :

(A) 2.5 m/s (B) 5.0 m/s (C) 14 m/s (D) 40 m/s

12. The plane wave represented by an equation of the form y = f(x – v t) implies the propagation
along the positive x-axis without change of shape with constant velocity v :

y  y  y  2y  2y  2y  2y  2y 

(A) t  v  x  (B) t  v  2  (C)  v 2  2 
 x  (D)  v2  2 
 x 
   x  t 2   t 2  

13. A wave pulse is generated in a string that lies along x-axis. At the points A and B, as shown in
figure, if RA and RB are ratio of wave speed to the particle speed respectively then :

(A) RA > RB (B) RB > RA

(C) RA = RB (D) Information is not sufficient to decide.

14. Wave pulse on a string shown in figure is moving to the right without changing shape. Consider
two particles at positions x1 = 1.5 m and x2 = 2.5 m. Their transverse velocities at the moment
shown in figure are along directions :

(A) positive y–axis and positive y–axis respectively

(B) negative y–axis and positive y–axis respectively

(C) positive y–axis and negative y–axis respectively

(D) negative y–axis and negative y–axis respectively

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 WAVE ON A STRING
15 A wave equation which gives the displacement along the Y direction is given by

y = 10–4 sin (60t + 2x)

where x and y are in meters and t is time in seconds. This represents a wave

(A) travelling with a velocity of 30 m/s in the negative x direction

(B) of wavelength  meter

(C) of frequency 30/ hertz

(D) of amplitude 10–4 meter travelling along the negative x direction.

16. The displacement of a particle in a medium due to a wave travelling in the x-direction through the
medium is given by y = A sin(t – x), where t = time, and  and  are constants :

(A) the frequency of the wave is  (B) the frequency of the wave is /2

(C) the wavelength is 2/ (D) the velocity of the wave is /

SUBJECTIVE
17. A transverse wave is travelling along a string from left to right. The fig. represents the shape of
the string (snap-shot) at a given instant. At this instant (a) which points have an upward velocity
(b) which points will have downward velocity (c) which points have zero velocity (d) which points
have maximum magnitude of velocity.

18. A sinusoidal wave propagates along a string. In figure (a) and (b). ‘y’ represents displacement of
particle from the mean position. ‘x’ & ‘t’ have usual meanings. Find :

(a) wavelength, frequency and speed of the wave.

(b) maximum velocity and maximum acceleration of the particles

y (in mm) y (in mm)

for x = 2m at t = 3s
+3
2 4 6 1 3 5
0 t (in sec.) x (in m)

–3

(a) (b)


19. Consider the wave y = (10 mm) sin [(5 cm–1) x – (60 s–1) t + ]. Find (a) the amplitude (b) the
4
wave number (c) the wavelength (d) the frequency (e) the time period and (f) the wave velocity
(g) phase constant of SHM of praticle at x = 0.

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 WAVE ON A STRING

20. The string shown in figure is driven at a frequency of 5.00 Hz. The amplitude of the motion is
12.0 cm, and the wave speed is 20.0 m/s. Furthermore, the wave is such that y = 0 at x = 0 and
t = 0. Determine (a) the angular frequency and (b) wave number for this wave (c) Write an
expression for the wave function. Calculate (d) the maximum transverse speed and (e) the
maximum transverse acceleration of a point on the string.

x=0

21. The sketch in the figure shows displacement time curve of a sinusoidal wave at x = 8 m. Taking
velocity of wave v = 6m/s along positive x-axis, write the equation of the wave.

PART (2) : SPEED OF A WAVE ON A STRING

OBJECTIVE

  x 
1. The equation of a wave is y = 4 sin   2t    where y, x are in cm and time in seconds. The
2 8 
amplitude, wave length, velocity and frequency of the wave are, respectively,

(A) 4 cm, 32 cm, 16 cm/s, 0.5Hz (B) 8 cm, 16 cm, 32 cm/s, 1.0Hz

(C) 4 cm, 32 cm, 32 cm/s, 0.5Hz (D) 8 cm, 16 cm, 16 cm/s, 1.0Hz

2. A loop of a string of mass per unit length  and radius R is rotated about an axis passing through
centre perpendicular to the plane with an angular velocity . A small disturbance is created in the
loop having the same sense of rotation. The linear speed of the disturbance for a stationary
observer is :

(A) R (B) 2R (C) 3R (D) zero

3. A transverse periodic wave on a string with a linear mass density of 0.200 kg/m is described by
the following equation y = 0.05 sin(420t – 21.0 x)

where x and y are in metres and t is in seconds. The tension in the string is equal to :

(A) 32 N (B) 42 N (C) 66 N (D) 80 N

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 WAVE ON A STRING
4. A transverse wave traveling along negative y-axis, its snap shot is given at any instant of time t.
Points which is having velocity in negative x-direction is/are.

y A

•
D
• B

• •C
x
F
E • •
•G
•
H

(A) A (B) C (C) D (D) H

SUBJECTIVE
5. A piano string having a mass per unit length equal to 5.00 × 10–3 kg/m is under a tension of
1350 N. Find the speed with which a wave travels on this string.

6. In the arrangement shown in figure, the string has mass of 5 g. How much time will it take for a
transverse disturbance produced at the floor to reach the pulley A ? Take g = 10 m/s2.

7. A uniform rope of length 20 m and mass 8 kg hangs vertically from a rigid support. A block of
mass 2 kg is attached to the free end of the rope. A transverse pulse of wavelength 0.06 m is
produced at the lower end of the rope. What is the wavelength of the pulse when it reaches the
top of the rope?

8. A particle on a stretched string supporting a travelling wave, takes minimum time 5.0 ms to
move from its mean position to the mean position. The distance between two consecutive
particles, which are at their mean positions, is 2.0 cm. Find the frequency, the wavelength and
the wave speed.

9. Two wires of different densities but same area of cross-section are soldered together at one end
and are stretched to a tension T. The velocity of a transverse wave in the first wire is half of that
in the second wire. Find the ratio of the density of the first wire to that of the second wire.

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 WAVE ON A STRING

PART (3) : POWER TRANSMITTED ALONG THE STRING

OBJECTIVE
1. A wave moving with constant speed on a uniform string passes the point x = 0 with amplitude A0,
angular frequency 0 and average rate of energy transfer P0. As the wave travels down the string
P0
it gradually loses energy and at the point x = , the average rate of energy transfer becomes .
2
At the point x = , angular frequency and amplitude are respectively :

(A) 0 and A0/ 2 (B) 0/ 2 and A0

(C) less than 0 and A0 (D) 0/ 2 and A0 / 2

2. A sinusoidal wave with amplitude ym is travelling with speed V on a string with linear density .
The angular frequency of the wave is . The following conclusions are drawn. Mark the one
which is correct.
(A) doubling the frequency doubles the rate at which energy is carried along the string

(B) if the amplitude were doubled, the rate at which energy is carried would be halved
(C) if the amplitude were doubled, the rate at which energy is carried would be doubled

(D) the rate at which energy is carried is directly proportional to the velocity of the wave.

3. Sinusoidal waves 5.00 cm in amplitude are to be transmitted along a string having a linear mass
density equal to 4.00 × 10–2 kg/m. If the source can deliver a average power of 90 W and the
string is under a tension of 100 N, then the highest frequency at which the source can operate is
(take 2 = 10):

(A) 45 Hz (B) 50 Hz (C) 30 Hz (D) 62 Hz

4. The average power transmitted through a given point on a string supporting a sine wave is.
0.40 watt when the amplitude of wave is 2 mm. What average power will transmitted through
this point its amplitude is increased to 4 mm.

(A) 0.40 watt (B) 0.80 watt (C) 1.2 watt (D) 1.6 watt

SUBJECTIVE
5. The figure shows a snap photograph of a vibrating string at t = 0. The particle P is observed
moving up with velocity 20  cm/s. The angle made by string with x-axis at P is 6°.

(a) Find the direction in which the wave is moving

(b) the equation of the wave

(c) the total energy carried by the wave per cycle of the string , assuming that , the mass per
unit length of the string = 50 gm/m.

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 WAVE ON A STRING

6. A 6.00 m segment of a long string has a mass of 180 g. A high-speed photograph shows that the
segment contains four complete cycles of a wave. The string is vibrating sinusoidally with a
frequency of 50.0 Hz and a peak-to-valley displacement of 15.0 cm. (The “peak-to-valley”
displacement is the vertical distance from the farthest positive displacement to the farthest
negative displacement.) (a) Write the function that describes this wave traveling in the positive x
direction. (b) Determine the average power being supplied to the string.

PART (4) : INTERFERENCE, REFLECTION, TRANSMISSION

OBJECTIVE
1. When two waves of the same amplitude and frequency but having a phase difference of ,
travelling with the same speed in the same direction (positive x), meets at a point then.

(A) their resultant amplitude will be twice that of a single wave but the frequency will be same

(B) their resultant amplitude and frequency will both be twice that of a single wave

(C) their resultant amplitude will depend on the phase angle while the frequency will be the same

(D) the frequency and amplitude of the resultant wave will depend upon the phase angle.

2. The rate of transfer of energy in a wave depends

(A) directly on the square of the wave amplitude and square of the wave frequency

(B) directly on the square of the wave amplitude and square root of the wave frequency

(C) directly on the wave frequency and square of the wave amplitude

(D) directly on the wave amplitude and square of the wave frequency

3. Two waves of amplitude A1, and A2 respectively and equal frequency travels towards same point.
The amplitude of the resultant wave is

(A) A1 + A2 (B) A1 – A2

(C) between A1 + A2 and A1 – A2 (D) Can not say

4. A wave pulse, travelling on a two piece string, gets partially reflected and partially transmitted at
the junction. The reflected wave is inverted in shape as compared to the incident one. If the
incident wave has speed v and the transmitted wave v,

(A) v > v

(B) v = v

(C) v < v

(D) nothing can be said about the relation of v and v.

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 WAVE ON A STRING
5. The effects are produced at a given point in space by two waves described by the equations,
y1 = ym sin t and y2 = ym sin (t + ) where ym is the same for both the waves and  is a phase
angle. Tick the incorrect statement among the following.

(A) the maximum intensity that can be achieved at a point is twice the intensity of either wave
and occurs if  = 0

(B) the maximum intensity that can be achieved at a point is four times the intensity of either
wave and occurs if  = 0

(C) the maximum amplitude that can be achieved at the point its twice the amplitude of either
wave and occurs at  = 0

(D) When the intensity is zero, the net amplitude is zero, and at this point  = .

6. The following figure depicts a wave travelling in a medium. Which pair of particles are in phase.

(A) A and D (B) B and F (C) C and E (D) B and G

SUBJECTIVE

2
7. The equation of a plane wave travelling along positive direction of x-axis is y = asin (t – x)

When this wave is reflected at a rigid surface and its amplitude becomes 80%, then find the
equation of the reflected wave

8. Two waves, each having a frequency of 100 Hz and a wavelength of 2 cm, are travelling in the
same direction on a string. What is the phase difference between the waves (a) if the second
wave was produced 10 m sec later than the first one at the same place (b) if the two waves were
produced at a distance 1 cm behind the second one? (c) If each of the waves has an amplitude
of 2.0 mm, what would be the amplitudes of the resultant waves in part (a) and (b) ?

PART (5) : STANDING WAVES AND RESONANCE

OBJECTIVE
1. A wave represented by the equation y = a cos(kx  t) is superposed with another wave to form
a stationary wave such that the point x = 0 is a node . The equation for other wave is :

(A) a sin (kx + t) (B) a cos(kx + t) (C) a cos(kx  t) (D) a sin(kx  t)

2. A stretched sonometer wire resonates at a frequency of 350 Hz and at the next higher frequency
of 420 Hz. The fundamental frequency of this wire is

(A) 350 Hz (B) 5 Hz (C) 70 Hz (D) 170 Hz

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 WAVE ON A STRING
3. Equations of a stationary wave and a travelling wave are y 1 = a sinkx cos t and
 3
y2 = a sin (t – kx). The phase difference between two points x1 = and x2 = is 1 for the first
3k 2k

1
wave and 2 for the second wave. The ratio  is :
2

(A) 1 (B) 5/6 (C) 3/4 (D) 6/7

4. Two stretched wires A and B of the same lengths vibrate independently. If the radius, density and
tension of wire A are respectively twice those of wire B, then the fundamental frequency of
vibration of A relative to that of B is

(A) 1 : 1 (B) 1 : 2 (C) 1 : 4 (D) 1 : 8

5. A steel wire of mass 4.0 g and length 80 cm is fixed at the two ends. The tension in the wire is
50 N. The wavelength of the fourth harmonic of the fundamental will be :

(A) 80 cm (B) 60 cm (C) 40 cm (D) 20 cm

6. The displacement of particles in a string stretched in xdirection is represented by y . Among the

following expressions for y , those describing wave motion are :

(A) cos (kx) sin(t) (B) k²x²  ²t² (C) cos² (kx + t) (D) cos (k²x²  ²t²)

SUBJECTIVE
7. A string fixed at both ends has consecutive standing wave modes for which the distances between
adjacent nodes are 18 cm and 16 cm respectively.

(a) What is the length of the string?

(b) If the tension is 10 N and the linear mass density is 4g/m, what is the fundamental frequency?

8. What are (a) the lowest frequency (b) the second lowest frequency and (c) the third lowest
frequency for standing waves on a wire that is 10.0 m long has a mass of 100 g and is stretched
under a tension of 25 N which is fixed at both ends ?

9. A nylon guitar string has a linear density of 7.20 g/m and is under a tension of 150 N. The fixed
supports are distance D = 90.0 cm apart. The string is oscillating in the standing wave pattern
shown in figure. Calculate the (a) speed. (b) wavelength and (c) frequency of the traveling waves
whose superposition gives this standing wave.

10. The length of the wire shown in figure between the pulleys is 1.5 m and its mass is 15 g. Find the
frequency of vibration with which the wire vibrates in four loops leaving the middle point of the
wire between the pulleys at rest. (g = 10 m/s2)

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 WAVE ON A STRING
11. A string oscillates according to the equation

   
y’ = (0.50 cm) sin  cm 1  x  cos [(40  s–1)t].
 3  

What are the (a) amplitude and (b) speed of the two waves (identical except for direction of
travel) whose superposition gives this oscillation? (c) what is the distance between nodes? (d)
9
What is the transverse speed of a particle of the string at the position x = 1.5 cm when t = s?
8

12. A string vibrates in 4 loops with a frequency of 400 Hz .

(a) What is its fundamental frequency ?

(b) What frequency will cause it to vibrate into 7 loops .

13. The vibration of a string of length 60 cm is represented by the equation,

y = 3 cos (x/20) cos (72t) where x & y are in cm and t in sec.

(i) Write down the component waves whose superposition gives the above wave.

(ii) Where are the nodes and antinodes located along the string.

(iii) What is the velocity of the particle of the string at the position x = 5 cm & t = 0.25 sec.

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 WAVE ON A STRING

ANSWERS

EXERCISE - 1

PART (1)

1. (D) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (B) 5. (B)

6. (B) 7. (C) 8. (A) 9. (C) 10. (D)

11. (B) 12. (AD) 13. (B) 14. (B)

15 (ABCD) 16. (BCD) 17. (a) DEF, (b) ABH, (c) CG, (D) AE

1 3 3 2
18. (a)  = 4m, f = Hz, 1 m/s, (b) mm/s, mm/s2
4 2 4

2 1
19. (a) 10 mm (b) 5 cm–1 (c) cm (d) 30 Hz (e) s (f) 12 cm/s.
5 30

 6
20. (a) 10 rad/s (b) /2 rad/m (c) y = (12 × 10–2 m) sin ( x – 10 t) (d)  m/s (e) 12 2 m/s2
2 5

  7 
21. 0.5 sin  3 t  18 x  9 
 

PART (2)

1. (A) 2. (B) 3. (D) 4. (A)

1 3
5. 300 3 m/s 6. sec 7. m. 8. 100 Hz, 4 cm, 4 m/s
50 10 5

9. 4

PART (3)

1. (A) 2. (D) 3. (C) 4. (D)

(a) negative x ; (b) y = 4×10–3 sin 100  3t  0.5x 

1 
5.  (x , y in meter) ; (c) 1442 ×10–5 J
 400 

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 WAVE ON A STRING

4 2025  2
6. (a) y = (7.50 cm) sin ( x – 314t + ) (b) ~– 625 W
3 32

PART (4)

1. (C) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (C) 5. (A)

2  
6. (D) 7. y’ = 0.8 a sin  t  x   .
  2

8. (a) 2 (b)  (c) 4.0 mm, zero

PART (5)

1. (B) 2. (C) 3. (D) 4. (B) 5. (C)

6. (AC) 7. (a) 144 cm ; (b) 17 Hz

250 1250
8. (a) 2.5 Hz; (b) 5 Hz; (c) 7.5 Hz. 9. (a) m/s; (b) 60.0 cm; (c) Hz
3 3 3

400
10. Hz 11. (a) 0.25 cm (b) 1.2 × 102 cm/s; (c) 3.0 cm; (d) 0
3

12. (a) 100 Hz (b) 700 Hz

13. (i) y1 = 1.5 cos {(/20)x  72t}, y2 =1.5 cos {(/20)x + 72 t}

(ii) 10 , 30 , 50 cm and 0 , 20 , 40 , 60 cm (iii) 0

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