Problem Set -5
Physics of Waves - PH11003 (Autumn 2024-25)
Coupled oscillator and Waves oscillator
September 2, 2024
1. Coupled pendulam
Consider the coupled LC circuits shown in the figure below. The circuits are driven with
a voltage V (t) at one end. Write the equations for currents Ia and Ib . Find the normal
coordinates and normal modes. Explain how the above circuits can act as an electrical low-
pass filter.
2. Wave equation
Consider the wave equation given below;
∂2 ∂2 1 ∂2
16 2 + 9 2 − 2 2 Ψ(⃗r, t) = 0
∂x ∂y cs ∂t
(a) What is the speed of a travelling wave solution propagating along the x-axis?
(b) What is the speed of a travelling wave solution propagating along the y-axis?
(c) For what value of a is the travelling wave given below a solution of the given wave
equation?
Ψ(⃗r, t) = e−i[ax+y−5cs t]
(d) What is the speed of the travelling wave given above?
3. Phase velocity
A wave with ω = 10s−1 and ⃗k = (7î + 6ĵ − 3k̂)m−1 has a phase ϕ = π/3 at the point (0, 0, 0)
at t = 0. At what time will this phase reach the point (1, 1, 1)m? What is the phase at the
point (1, 0, 0) at t = 1s? What is the phase velocity of the wave?
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4. Group velocity
The phase velocity vp in deep water is given as
r
gλ
vp =
2π
where g is acceleration due to gravity and λ is the wavelength.
(a) Write down the relation between ω and k.
(b) Find the group velocity.
(c) Find the relation between the group and phase velocity.
5. Dispersion relation
For a diatomic linear lattice with two atoms of masses m and M , the dispersion relation
per acoustic branch is given by,
s 2
4 sin2 (ka)
2 1 1 1 1
ω =β + −β + −
m M m M mM
Here, k is the wavenumber, ω is the oscillation frequency of the lattice plane in the crystal,
a is the inter-molecular distance, and β is the spring constant that couples two adjacent
lattice planes.
(a) Find the group and phase velocity for a larger wavelength limit.
(b) Find the relation between these two velocities.
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