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Travelling waves question, standing waves help!


anishaaas

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Travelling waves of wavelength 32 cm are created in a closed-open pipe X of length 40 cm and an open-open pipe Y of length 50 cm.

In which pipe or pipes will a standing wave be formed?

A. X only
B. Y only
C. neither X or Y
D. both X and Y

How is this calculated? Thanks for answers

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Close ends have nodes. Open ends have antinodes (amplitude at max). As a result, closed-end has length 1/4 lambda , 3/4 lambda, 5/4 etc. Open open has 1/2, 1, 3/2, lambda. 40 is 5/4 lambda for close-open; 50 is 25/16 lambda so answer is A. X only.

Edited by kw0573
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Thank you! 

So what I understand by this is (even though it is a paper 1 question):

For the closed-open:

L = x/4 * lambda
40 = x/4 * 32
x=5 -> since this is a whole number (and odd), a standing wave will be created.

For open-open:

L = x/2 * lambda
50 = x/2 * 32
x = 3.125 -> since this is a decimal, a standing wave will not be created. 

Therefore answer is A. X only. 

Is my thoughtprocess correct?

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