JJ 2012 H2 Physics (9646)

12. Wave Motion

JURONG JUNIOR COLLEGE

H2 Physics 9646
Tutorial Topic 12: Wave Motion
Learning Outcome
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i

Tutorial
Questions
2,3,4,
13(a)

show an understanding and use the terms displacement, amplitude, phase

difference, period, frequency, wavelength and speed.
deduce, from the definitions of speed, frequency and wavelength, the
equation v = f.
recall and use the equation v = f.
show an understanding that energy is transferred due to a progressive
wave.
recall and use the relationship, intensity (amplitude)2.
analyse and interpret graphical representations of transverse and
longitudinal waves.

1,13(b)
1,2,6(b)
11, 13(c)
7,8,9
1,5,6,10,

show an understanding that polarisation is a phenomenon associated with

transverse waves.
determine the frequency of sound using a calibrated c.r.o.
determine the wavelength of sound using stationary waves.

12,
13(d,e)

The same progressive wave is represented by the following graphs.

displacement y against position
displacement y against
x
time
for constant time
t for constant position
y
q
y
p

Which of the following gives the speed of the wave?

p
q
1
A pq
B
C
D
q
p
pq
2

The displacement-time graph (y - t) below represents the simple harmonic motion of a

particle in a progressive wave travelling at a speed of 5.0 km s -1.
y / m
+2
10

30

0
20

40

t / s

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JJ 2012 H2 Physics (9646)

12. Wave Motion

Calculate its
(a)
frequency,

[50 kHz]

[2 m]

(b)

amplitude

(c)

wavelength

[100 mm]

Two sinusoidal voltages of the same frequency are as shown in the diagram below.
V

M
N
t / st
0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

What are the frequency and the phase difference between the voltages? State whether

N is leading M or vice versa.

[2.5 Hz;
rad; M leads N]
2
Working:

Parallel water waves of

wavelength 10 m strike a
straight sea wall.
The
wavefronts make an angle of
30 with the wall as shown
below.
What is the difference in
phase
at
any
instant
between the waves at two
points 5 m apart along the
wall? [90]
Working:

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12. Wave Motion

Transverse progressive sinusoidal waves of wavelength are passing vertically along a

5
horizontal rope. P and Q are points on the rope
apart and the waves are traveling
4
from P to Q.
Which of the following correctly describes Q at an instant when P is displaced upwards
but is moving downwards?
A
B
C
D
E

Displacement of Q
upwards
upwards
downwards
downwards
downwards

Movement of Q
downwards
upwards
upwards
downwards
stationary

Working:

A ships siren vibrates with displacement y, where y = a sin 200 t.

This sound causes vibrations of the diaphragm of an eardrum of an observer 500 m
away. The speed of sound is 335 m s -1. Calculate
(a) the frequency of the sound,
[100 Hz]

(b)

the number of wavelength of this sound there are between the siren and the
eardrum, in 5 sig.fig.,
[149.25 ]

(c)

the phase difference between the motion of the siren and the eardrum,
If the speed and distance data were reliable only to three significant figures, little
confidence could be placed in your answer to (c). Explain this. (Ignore any
possible phase differences between vibration surfaces and adjacent air)

[ rad]
2

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12. Wave Motion

A point source of sound emits energy equally in all directions at a constant rate and a
person 8 m from the source listens. After a while, the intensity of the source is halved.
If the person wishes the sound to seem as loud as before, how far should he be now
from the source?
[5.66 m ]
Working:

A sound wave is emitted from a point source. The intensity of the sound wave is
inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. At a distance r
from the source, the amplitude of the wave is 8X.
Determine the amplitude of the sound wave at a distance 2r from the source in terms of
X.
[ 4X ]
Working:

A 100 W light bulb is 10% efficient (that is, 90% of its output is invisible infra-red
radiation and only 10% is visible light). A person can see the light with the naked eye
from a distance of 20 km on a dark night.
If the area of the pupil of the persons eye is 0.5 cm 2, find the power of the light that the
eye of the person is receiving.
[1.0 10-13 W]
Working:

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12. Wave Motion

10 A progressive wave has amplitude 0.80 m and wavelength 4.0 m. At a given time the
displacement is y = 0 m at x = 0 m, and y = 0.80 m at x = 1.0 m.
(a) Sketch the displacement-position graph for 2 cycles of the wave.

(b)

(c)

Calculate
(i)
the displacement at x = 0.5 m and 2.20 m;

[ 0.57 m, 0.25 m ]

[ 0.25 rad, 0.80 rad ]

(ii)

the phase angles at x = 0.5 m and 1.60 m;

(iii)

the phase difference between any two points which are 1.1 m apart on the
wave.
[ 0.55 rad ]

Explain the relationship of your answers in (b)(ii) and (b)(iii).

11 Which of the following is true for all transverse waves?

A
They are all electromagnetic.
B
They can all be polarized.
C
They can all travel through a vacuum.
D
They all involve the oscillation of atoms.

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12. Wave Motion

12 Figure below shows a beam of initially unpolarised light passing through three polariods
P1, P2 and P3. The polarizing axis of each Polaroid is shown by an arrow. Polaroids P 1
and P2 are fixed, with their polarizing axes at 30 o to one another, and P3 can be set with
its polarizing axis at a variable angle to that of P1.
30o

P1

light beam
P2
P3

For which values of do minimum intensity of the emergent light occur?

A
30o, 120o, 210o, 300o
B
90o, 120o, 270o, 300o
C
60o, 240o
D
90o, 270o
E
120o, 300o
13 (a)

State the meaning of wavelength and frequency as applied to wave motion.

(b)

Deduce, from definition of speed, the equation for the speed of a wave in terms of
its wavelength and frequency.

(c)

Distinguish between longitudinal and transverse waves.

(d)

State what is meant by the term polarization when applied to a wave. Explain why
only transverse waves can be polarized but not longitudinal waves.

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(e)

14 (a)

12. Wave Motion

[H1/N11/II/6 (part)]
Some films recently released have enabled viewing in three dimensions (3D). This
can be done using two superimposed polarized images on the screen. One of the
images is the scene as view by a left eye and the other the scene as viewed by a
right eye. Explain how the images on the screen need to be polarized and how the
spectacles of the cinema-goer also need to be polarized.

Data Analysis Question [09SR/III/4]

Sound waves travel at different speeds in different media. Fig. 14.1 shows the
variation with time t of the distance d moved by a sound wave through air and
water.
d / km

water

air

t/s

Fig. 14.1
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(b)

12. Wave Motion

Use Fig. 14.1 to determine the speed of sound through air and water.
[0.32 km h-1; 1.5 km h-1]
Three naval bases B1, B2 and B3 are located along the circumference of a circle as
shown in Fig. 14.2.
B1

B2

B3
Fig. 14.2
A submarine in the vicinity sends out a signal which is detected at all 3 naval
bases. The records of the variation with time of the signals detected at the naval
bases are shown in Fig. 14.3 below. All 3 records were started at the same time.
start of records
B1
B2
B3
time
Fig. 14.3
On each record, one pulse is made by sound waves travelling through air and the
other, sound waves travelling through water. The time lag between the two pulses
is referred to as the transmission lag.
(i)
Using evidence from the records in Fig. 14.3, state which naval base was
closest to the submarine.
(ii) State two separate pieces of evidence to support your answer to (b)(i).
(iii) On the record produced by naval base B 2 in Fig. 15.3, circle the pulse
caused by the sound wave travelling through water. Explain your answer.
(c)

The transmission lags are 37 s, 33 s, and 26 s for naval bases B 1, B2 and B3

respectively. Use Fig. 14.1 to determine the distance of the submarine from each
naval base.
[15.0 km; 13.4 km; 10.6 km]

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12. Wave Motion

Challenging Question (Optional)

15 [09IJ/III/6]
A tuning fork is shown in Fig. 15.1 below. It is made of a handle and two tines. It can be
made to vibrate by knocking one of the tines sideways against a hard object.
A

A
velocity = 2.50 m s

-1

tines

handle

Fig. 15.1
(a)

Fig. 15.2

At time t = 0, the tuning fork is knocked against a hard object such that the tip of
tine A is given an initial velocity of 2.50 m s -1 towards the left as shown in Fig.
15.2. Subsequently it vibrates about its equilibrium position with a frequency of
128 Hz. The subsequent motion of the tip of tine A can be considered to be simple
harmonic motion.
(i)
Explain what is meant by simple harmonic motion.
(ii)

Taking rightwards as positive, the variation of the displacement x of the tip of

tine A and the time t can be expressed in the form:
x = B sin (t)
where B is an unknown value and the angular frequency of the oscillation.
Determine the value of B in meters such that the above expression correctly
describes the subsequent displacement of tine A after it was knocked.
[- 3.11 x 10-3 m]

(b)

(iii)

Again taking rightward as positive, determine the displacement of tine A 1/8

of a cycle after it was knocked.
[-2.20 x 10-3 m]

(iv)

What is the shortest time after the tip of tine A was knocked for its
acceleration to be a maximum?
[1.95 x 10-3 s]

Tine As vibrations subsequently causes the neighboring air molecules to vibrate

such that a longitudinal wave of the same frequency is formed. Fig. 15.3 below
shows the positions of the air molecules around the tuning fork at a particular
instant.

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12. Wave Motion

Fig. 15.3

(c)

(i)

By considering the movement of air molecules, state and explain the

pressure experienced by the air molecule at Y.

(ii)

Given that the distance between X and Z is 5.2 m, calculate the speed of the
longitudinal wave between X and Z.
[333 m s -1]

(iii)

Determine the phase difference between X and Y.

[ rad]

The longitudinal waves created by tine A above can be assumed to have a power
of 0.72 W and is equally generated in all directions. A microphone whose circular
cross-section has radius 2.0 cm is placed 5.0 m away from the tine as shown in
Fig. 15.4 (not to scale).

2.0 cm

5.0 m

Fig. 15.4

[2.88 x 10-6 W]

(i)

Determine the power received by the microphone.

(ii)

The microphone is replaced by a bigger one whose radius is twice of that of

the previous one. At what distance away from the tine must the bigger
microphone be placed so that it still picks up the same power?
[10.0 m]

END

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