PHY4217

Waves and Oscillations

Assessed Problem Set 1

Question 1
This question not strictly relevant to the content of this module, but is designed to get you thinking
about the relationships between physical parameters and the equations that concern them (which
is relevant to the module).
A particle is travelling in a straight line through a gas. The speed of the particle at time t is v( t).
As it travels, the particle looses energy (by collision with the molecules of the gas) and continually
slows down until it eventually comes to rest. Different proposals concerning the way in which the
particle slows are listed below (they are not necessarily realistic). In each case obtain a differential
equation describing the variation of the particles velocity with time.

( a) T he par t i cl e s vel oci t y decr eases at a const ant r at e. ( 5 mar k s)

(b) The acceleration of the particle at time t is proportional to t . ( 5 mar k s)
(c) The resistive force acting on the particle is proportional to the kinetic energy of the particle.
(5 marks)
(d) The change in the particles velocity over a short period t is approximately proportional to
both t and to the velocity of the particle at the start of the time interval. (10 marks)
(e) The velocity of the particle changes in such a way over a short time interval t that the kinetic
energy of the particle is reduced by an amount approximately proportional to the product of the
t and t he vel oci t y at t he st ar t of t he i nt er val . ( 10 mar k s)

Question 2
Show that the function y = Acos (4x ) + Bsin (4x ), where A and B are arbitrary constants, is a
general solution of the differential equation:
d2 y
+ 16 y = 0 ( 1)
dx 2
Find the values of A and B :
If y = 0 and dy/dx = 8 at x = 0 ( 10 mar k s)
If y = 2 at x = 0 and y = 1 at x = / 16 ( 10 mar k s)

Question 3
A cork on a pond moves with simple harmonic motion, bobbing up and down over a range of 4.00
cm. The period of motion is 1.00 s. At a time t = 0 s, the cork is at its maximum height. Calculate
the height of the cork at t = 10 . 5 s. ( 5 mar k s)

Using physical arguments only (i.e., without any mathematics), what can you say about the posi-
t i on and t he vel oci t y of t he cor k aft er 15. 5 s? ( 5 mar k s)