3.45 Standing Waves and Normal Modes

PHYSICS 71
Chapter 15 Mechanical Waves
45 Standing Waves and

Normal Modes
National Institute of Physics

College of Science
University of the Philippines Diliman
Standing Waves 2
A wave which oscillates in time but whose

peak amplitude profile does not move in
space.
Standing Waves 3
incident wave loose

end
reflected wave
Standing Waves 4
incident wave fixed

end
reflected wave
5
Standing Waves
Fixed end:
reflected wave with inverse
orientation
Standing Waves
increasing frequency;
increasing number of segments that looks like a single wave
Standing Waves
Node – point at which the string never moves
Antinode – point at which the amplitude of string

motion is greatest
9
Standing Waves: Wave Equation
 The incident wave is given by
𝑦1 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐴 cos(𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡)
 The reflected wave is given by
𝑦2 𝑥, 𝑡 = −𝐴 cos(𝑘𝑥 + 𝜔𝑡)
Standing Waves: Wave Equation 10
 Bythe principle of superposition, standing

waves have the wave function
𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝑦1 𝑥, 𝑡 + 𝑦2 𝑥, 𝑡
𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐴 cos 𝑘𝑥 − 𝜔𝑡 − cos 𝑘𝑥 + 𝜔𝑡
𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 2𝐴 sin 𝑘𝑥 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐴SW (sin 𝑘𝑥)(sin 𝜔𝑡)

 𝐴SW is the antinode amplitude equal to 2𝐴
 One end of the string is at 𝑥 = 0.
 Unlike travelling waves, standing waves do
not transfer energy from one end to another.
 The average power at any point is zero.
Standing Waves 11
Standing Waves 12
antinodes
nodes
Position of Nodes 13
 The antinodes are located exactly in

between two nodes.
Standing Waves 14
To identify the nodes, solve for x when y(x, t) = 0.

15
Position of Nodes
 Thefixed points or nodes of the standing

wave occur when 𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 0.
 Theposition of the 𝑛𝑡ℎ node from the fixed
end at 𝑥 = 0 is given by
𝑛𝜆
𝑥𝑛 =
2
𝑛 = 1, 2, 3, … is an integer
Example 16
A guitar string was fixed on one end located

at 𝑥 = 0. A standing wave was formed on the
string after a sinusoidal wave of wavelength
0.10 m and amplitude 0.075 m is reflected on
the fixed end. Find the
a) location of the nodes.
b) amplitude of the standing wave at the
nodes and antinodes.
Answer:
a) 𝑥 = 0.05 m, 0.10 m, 0.15 m, 0.20 m, …
b) Nodes: 𝐴𝑁 = 0, Antinodes: 𝐴𝐴𝑁 = 0.150 m
17
Musical instruments have

strings fixed on both ends!
Normal Modes on a String 18
 Normal modes are formed when two ends

of a string are both nodes.
 Fora string of length 𝐿 , the allowed

wavelengths that can form standing
waves are given by
𝜆𝑛 = 2𝐿/𝑛
(Normal Mode Wavelengths)
𝑛 = 1, 2, 3, … is an integer called the mode.
 Fromthe condition that the other end is also
a node i.e. 𝑥𝑛 = 𝐿.
This leads to normal modes:
n=1
n=2
n=3
21
𝑛 = 1 i.e. 𝐿 = 𝜆/2 𝑛 = 2 i.e. 𝐿 = 𝜆
𝑛 = 3 i.e. 𝐿 = 3𝜆/2 𝑛 = 4 i.e. 𝐿 = 2𝜆
𝑛 is the number of antinodes!

In terms of the frequencies,
The n = 1 mode is called the

fundamental mode, with
corresponding frequency
The n = 2, 3, … mode is
called the second harmonic,
third harmonic, and so on.
Harmonics and Overtones 23
 The 𝑛𝑡ℎ harmonic’s frequency is related to

the fundamental frequency by
𝑓𝑛 = 𝑛𝑓1
(Normal Mode Frequencies/𝑛𝑡ℎ Harmonic)
 We sometimes refer to the 𝑛𝑡ℎ harmonic as

the 𝑛 − 1 𝑡ℎ overtone.
Fundamental Frequency on Strings 24
 The fundamental frequency on a string with

linear mass density 𝜇 and tension 𝐹 is given
by
1 𝐹
𝑓1 =
2𝐿 𝜇
(Fundamental Frequency on a String)
Example 25
A large bass viola was constructed with

strings that have a length of 5.00 m. One
string has linear mass density of 0.040 kg/m
and a fundamental frequency of 20.0 Hz .
What is the
a) Tension on the string?
b) Frequency of the 2𝑛𝑑 harmonic?
c) Wavelength of the 2𝑛𝑑 overtone?
Answer:
a) 𝐹 = 1600 N c) 𝜆3 = 3.33 m
b) 𝑓2 = 40.0 Hz
Attendance Quiz (Bluebook) 26
AQ #
Date Score:
Solution:
Corrected by: Jon Snow

Attendance Quiz 27
For a guitar string of length 0.60 m, tension 30. N and

mass density 0.010 kg/m, what is the frequency of the
second harmonic?
Attendance Quiz: Solution 28
For a guitar string of length 0.60 m, tension 30. N and

mass density 0.010 kg/m, what is the frequency of the
second harmonic?
𝑣 𝐹
𝑓2 = 2 ; 𝑣 =
2𝐿 𝜇
1 𝐹
𝑓2 =
𝐿 𝜇
1 30. N
𝑓2 =
0.60 m 0.010 kg/m
𝑓2 = 91 Hz 5 points
Credits/References 29
 University Physics 13th Ed, H. Young and R. Freedman

Pearson Education 2014
 Physics 71 Lectures by M Flores, A Lacaba, PJ Blancas, G
Pedemonte, DL Sombillo, K Agapito, J De Mesa, B Galit, T
Abregana

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PHYSICS 71

Chapter 15 Mechanical Waves

45 Standing Waves and

National Institute of Physics

A wave which oscillates in time but whose

incident wave loose

incident wave fixed

Antinode – point at which the amplitude of string

 The incident wave is given by

 Bythe principle of superposition, standing

𝑦 𝑥, 𝑡 = 𝐴SW (sin 𝑘𝑥)(sin 𝜔𝑡)

 The antinodes are located exactly in

To identify the nodes, solve for x when y(x, t) = 0.

 Thefixed points or nodes of the standing

A guitar string was fixed on one end located

Musical instruments have

 Normal modes are formed when two ends

 Fora string of length 𝐿 , the allowed

This leads to normal modes:

𝑛 = 1 i.e. 𝐿 = 𝜆/2 𝑛 = 2 i.e. 𝐿 = 𝜆

𝑛 = 3 i.e. 𝐿 = 3𝜆/2 𝑛 = 4 i.e. 𝐿 = 2𝜆

𝑛 is the number of antinodes!

In terms of the frequencies,

The n = 1 mode is called the

 The 𝑛𝑡ℎ harmonic’s frequency is related to

 We sometimes refer to the 𝑛𝑡ℎ harmonic as

 The fundamental frequency on a string with

A large bass viola was constructed with

Corrected by: Jon Snow

For a guitar string of length 0.60 m, tension 30. N and

For a guitar string of length 0.60 m, tension 30. N and

 University Physics 13th Ed, H. Young and R. Freedman

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