Sound as a Longitudinal Wave


Soundwaves are a type of mechanical wave. As all mechanical waves require a medium to propagate through, soundwaves will therefore not pass through a vacuum. Soundwaves are produced when there is a source of vibration in a medium such as the vibration of a guitar string, a drum or the metal of a bell, all of which set the air near them vibrating. Soundwaves are longitudinal waves and the particles oscillate back and forth in the direction of energy transfer.

A soundwave is a series of compressions and rarefactions that form in the medium (usually air). A compression is a region where particles of the medium are closer together than when they are at their rest positions. Compressions are regions of higher than normal pressure for the medium. A rarefaction is a region where the particles of the medium are further apart than when in their rest positions. Rarefactions are regions of lower than normal pressure for the medium.

The rest positions of particles are their positions when no energy is being transferred through the medium. The amplitude of a soundwave determines the loudness or softness of the sound, its intensity. The larger the amplitude, the louder the sound. The frequency of a soundwave determines the pitch of the sound. A high frequency wave produces a high pitch sound and a low frequency produces a low pitch.

 


Example 1:

1) The diagram below represents a soundwave travelling through air.

Label the following on the diagram:

a) two different wavelengths 

b) a compression and a rarefaction

c) an area of high pressure and an area of low pressure

2) If the frequency of the wave increased and the volume got louder how would that effect the particles in the diagram?

If the frequency increased the wavelength must get shorter. Therefore the compressions and rarefactions will be closer together. If the volume gets louder than the size of the particle oscillation, or amplitude would increase.

 

 

Masses Connected by Strings on Horizontal Surfaces


Masses connected by strings is another problem that requires both Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws. Consider two objects C and D, with masses of 4kg and 3kg respectively, that are being pulled by a cable with a force of 49N to the right as shown below:

We can consider a few aspects of this problem:

If the total force acting on both objects is 49N and they have a combined mass of 7kg, according to Newton’s 2nd law the acceleration of both objects:

a=\cfrac { F }{ m }

a=\cfrac { 49 }{ 7 }

a=7\cfrac { m }{ { s }^{ 2 } }


We can now determine the net force acting on each object:

Object C: F=ma

F=4\times 7

F=28\quad N right

Object D: F=ma

F=3\times 7

F=21\quad N right


When we analyse the net forces acting on each object we need to consider the tension in the cable. Tension in strings and cables acts in both directions according to Newtons 3rd law.

In the example above, the force that acts on object D (21 N right) comes from the tension in the cable – a force of 21 N acting to the right. According to Newtons 3rd law, there is an equal and opposite force of 21 N left acting on object C. This also comes from the tension in the cable.

We can calculate the net force, F_{ net } acting on object C:

F_{ net }=49-21=28\quad N\quad right, which agrees with our value above.


Example 1:

Two objects A and B, with masses of 10kg and 6kg respectively, are being pulled by a cable with a force of 128N to the right as shown below: 

Calculate:

a) the acceleration of the objects

b) the force acting on object A and B

c) the tension in the cable

a) Using Newtons 2nd law: F=ma

a=\cfrac { F }{ m }

a=\cfrac { 128 }{ (10+6) }

a=8\quad \cfrac { m }{ { s }^{ 2 } } to the right

b) Again, using F=ma and the answer to part a:

Object A: F=ma

F=10\times 8

F=80\quad N right

Object B: F=ma

F=6\times 8

F=48\quad N right

c) The tension in the cable is the force that acts on object B (in magnitude as it acts in both directions:

F=48N left


Some problems will consider three or more objects:

Example 2:

Three objects A, B and C with masses of 3kg, 4kg and 5kg respectively, are being pulled by cables with a total force of 60N to the right as shown below: 

Calculate:

a) the acceleration of the objects

b) the force acting on object A, B and C

c) the tension in the cables indicated as { T }_{ 1 } and { T }_{ 2 } above.

a) Using Newtons 2nd law: F=ma

a=\cfrac { F }{ m }

a=\cfrac { 60 }{ (3+4+5) }

a=5\quad \cfrac { m }{ { s }^{ 2 } } to the right

b) Again, using F=ma and the answer to part a:

Object A: F=ma

F=3\times 5

F=15\quad N right

Object B: F=ma

F=4\times 5

F=20\quad N right

Object C: F=ma

F=5\times 5

F=25\quad N right

c) { T }_{ 1 } is the tension in the string that provides the force to accelerate both objects B and C:

{ T }_{ 1 }F=ma

F=(4+5)\times 5

F=45\quad N 

{ T }_{ 2 } is the tension in the string that provides the force to accelerate object C:

{ T }_{ 2 }F=ma

F=5\times 5

F=25\quad N