Question

Two sinusoidal waves are moving through a medium in the positive x-direction, both having amplitudes of 7.00 cm, a wave number of k=3.00m−1, an angular frequency of ω=2.50s−1, and a period of 6.00 s, but one has a phase shift of an angle ϕ=π12rad. What is the height of the resultant wave at a time t=2.00s and a position x=0.53m?

Answer 1

Answer:

0.99 m

Explanation:

Parameters given:

Amplitude, A = 7.00cm

Wave number, k = 3.00m^-1

Angular Frequency, ω = 2.50Hz

Period = 6.00 s

Phase, ϕ = π/12 rad

Note: All parameters are the same for both waves except the phase.

Wave 1 has a wave function:

y1(x, t) = Asin(kx - ωt)

y1(x, t) = 7sin(3x - 2.5t)

Wave 2 has a wave function:

y2(x, t) = Asin(kx - ωt + ϕ)

y2(x, t) = 7sin(3x - 2.5t + π/12)

π is in radians.

When Superposition occurs, the new wave is represented by:

y(x, t) = 7sin(3x - 2.5t) + 7sin(3x - 2.5t + π/12)

y(x, t) = 7[sin(3x - 2.5t) + sin(3x - 2.5t + π/12)]

Using trigonometric function:

sin(a) + sin(b) = 2cos[(a - b)/2]sin[(a + b)/2]

Where a = 3x - 2.5t, b = 3x - 2.5t + π/12

We have that:

y(x, t) = (2*7)[cos(π/24)sin(3x - 2.5t + π/24)]

Therefore, when x = 0.53cm and t = 2s,

y(x, t) = (2*7)[cos(π/24)sin{(3*0.53) - (2.5*2)+ π/24}]

y(x, t) = 14 * 0.9914 * 0.0713

y(x, t) = 0.99 m

The height of the resultant wave is 0.99cm