August 29, 2007



December 7th, 2009

PHY2048 Discussion-Fall ‘09

Quiz 12

Name: UFID:

Two sinusoidal waves of the same frequency are to be sent in the same direction along a taut string. One wave has an amplitude of 6.00 mm, the other 10.0 mm.

a) What phase difference φ1 between the two waves results in the smallest amplitude of the resultant wave? What is the smallest amplitude?

To find the amplitude of the resultant wave, we need to express the sinusoidal waves with phasors and add them vectorially. Since the amplitude of the resultant wave is equal to the magnitude of the sum of the two phasors, we have

ym’ = √(ymx’2+ymy’2) = √[(ym1+ym2cosφ)2+(ym2sinφ)2]

= √(ym12+ym22+2ym1ym2cosφ)

Therefore, the amplitude is smallest if

cosφ = -1 ⇒ φ = cos-1(-1) = π rad

The smallest amplitude is

ym’ = √(ym12+ym22-2ym1ym2) = √[( ym2-ym1)2] = |ym2-ym1| = 10-6 = 4.00 mm

b) What phase difference φ2 results in the largest amplitude of the resultant wave? What is the largest amplitude?

The amplitude is largest if

cosφ = 1 ⇒ φ = cos-1(1) = 0 rad

The greatest amplitude is

ym’ = √(ym12+ym22+2ym1ym2) = √[( ym2+ym1)2] = |ym2+ym1| = 10+6 = 16.0 mm

c) What is the resultant amplitude if the phase difference is (φ1+φ2)/2

From a) and b), we have

(φ1+φ2)/2 = (π+0)/2 = π/2

Thus the resultant amplitude is

ym’ = √(ym12+ym22+2ym1ym2cos(π/2)) = √(ym12+ym22) = √(62+102) = 11.7 mm

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