PYS150S: Physics
Assignment 3
Due date:
Friday 16th May, 2025
Remember to show your work, using proper notation. It might be good to label units to
determine the needed equation.
Question 1
3π
1.1 A wave is modeled by the wave function (in SI units) y(x, t) = 0.70 sin − 5.7 (x − 32t) . What are the
(a) the direction of motion,
(b) amplitude,
(c) wavelength,
(d) wave speed,
(e) period,
(f) initial phase shift and
(g) frequency of the wave?
(h) maximum speed
(i) maximum acceleration
1.2 Consider a skipping rope that is 15 m long. The rope has a mass of 250 g. A transverse pulse is
produced by plucking one end of the stretched rope. The pulse makes eight trips down and back along
the rope in 0.8 s. What is the tension in the rope?
1.3 A wave whose wavelength is 0.30 m is traveling down a 300-m-long wire whose total mass is 15 kg. If
the wire is under a tension of 1000 N, what are (a) the speed and (b) frequency of this wave?
1.4 The average intensity of sunlight on Earth’s surface is about 700 W/m2 .
(a) Calculate the amount of energy that falls on a solar collector having an area of 0.5 m2 in 4 hours
(b) What intensity would such sunlight have if concentrated by a magnifying glass onto an area 200
times smaller than its own?
1.5 A taut rope has a mass of 0.180 kg and a length of 3.60 m. What power must be supplied to the
rope so as to generate sinusoidal waves having an amplitude of 0.1 m and a wavelength of 0.5 m and
traveling with a speed of 30 m/s?
1.6 Two sinusoidal waves traveling in opposite directions interfere to produce a standing wave with the
wave Function y = 1.50 sin(0.400x) cos(200t) where x and y are in meters and t is in seconds. Determine
(a) amplitude of each wave and (b) the speed of the interfering waves.
Question 2
2.1 If a violin string vibrates at 440 Hz as its fundamental frequency, what are the frequencies of the first
four harmonics?
1
2.2 A string is 65cm long and fixed at both ends?
(a) What is the wavelength of the first harmonic:
(b) If the frequency of the first harmonic is 350Hz, what is the frequency of the third harmonic?
2.3 The first harmonic of a 0.60m guitar string is 800Hz.
(a) What are the frequencies of the second, third and fifth harmonic?
(b) What is the speed of the waves in the string?
(c) What is the wavelength of the first harmonic?
(d) Is it possible to have a frequency of 1200Hz?
2.4 Given an open pipe of length 4m, what is its fundamental frequency? Assume the wave passing through
the pipe is a sound wave with velocity v: v=322 m/s.
2.5 What is the fundamental frequency f of a standing wave traveling at a speed of 20 m/s through a string
of length 4 m?
2.6 A standing wave has 4 nodes including the two at each end. The length of the vibrating string is 85.0
cm, the tension in the string is 75.0 N, and it vibrates at a frequency of 50Hz. Calculate the linear
mass density µ of the string.
2.7 Calculate the frequency of the standing wave when it vibrates with 4 nodes and 3 antinodes formed
between two fixed-end cloth drying strings of length 5 m.
2.8 What will be the fundamental frequency and first three overtones for a 26-cm-long organ pipe at 20°C
if it is (a) open, (b) closed?