Question

Two identical loudspeakers 2.00 m apart are emitting sound waves into a room where the speed of sound is 340 m/s. Abby is standing 5.00 m in front of one of the speakers, perpendicular to the line joining the speakers, and hears a maximum in the intensity of the sound.
Required:
What is the lowest possible frequency of sound for which this is possible?

Answer 1

Answer:

The lowest possible frequency of sound for which this is possible is 1307.69 Hz

Explanation:

From the question, Abby is standing 5.00m in front of one of the speakers, perpendicular to the line joining the speakers.

First, we will determine his distance from the second speaker using the Pythagorean theorem

l₂ = √(2.00²+5.00²)

l₂ = √4+25

l₂ = √29

l₂ = 5.39 m

Hence, the path difference is

ΔL = l₂ - l₁

ΔL = 5.39 m - 5.00 m

ΔL = 0.39 m

From the formula for destructive interference

ΔL = (n+1/2)λ

where n is any integer and λ is the wavelength

n = 1 in this case, the lowest possible frequency corresponds to the largest wavelength, which corresponds to the smallest value of n.

Then,

0.39 = (1+ 1/2)λ

0.39 = (3/2)λ

0.39 = 1.5λ

∴ λ = 0.39/1.5

λ = 0.26 m

From

v = fλ

f = v/λ

f = 340 / 0.26

f = 1307.69 Hz

Hence, the lowest possible frequency of sound for which this is possible is 1307.69 Hz.