Academic Integrity: tutoring, explanations, and feedback — we don’t complete graded work or submit on a student’s behalf.

A wave pulse travels down a slinky. The mass of the slinky is m = 0.92 kg and is

ID: 1474456 • Letter: A

Question

A wave pulse travels down a slinky. The mass of the slinky is m = 0.92 kg and is initially stretched to a length L = 7.5 m. The wave pulse has an amplitude of A = 0.27 m and takes t = 0.474 s to travel down the stretched length of the slinky. The frequency of the wave pulse is f = 0.47 Hz.

1. Now the slinky is stretched to twice its length (but the total mass does not change).

What is the new tension in the slinky? (assume the slinky acts as a spring that obeys Hooke’s Law)

2. What is the new mass density of the slinky?

3. What is the new time it takes for a wave pulse to travel down the slinky?

4. If the new wave pulse has the same frequency, what is the new wavelength?

#) What does the energy of the wave pulse depend on?

a)the frequency

b)the amplitude

c)both the frequency and the amplitude

Explanation / Answer

We have two equations in the ondulatory movement

. y= A Sin (k x – w t)                        v2 = T/ p density symbol: p

With the wave equation      v = La f wavelength symbol: La

The speed with which the wave travels is constant

First part

The object like a spring (Hooke's law)

T = -K x              X = X0         T= -K (2X0)= 2 T0

If we use the oscillating movement (perpendicular to de wave move)

. w= 2 f

. w2= K/m     K= w2 m = 0.92 (2 0.47)2 = 8 N m

T0 = K L = 8 7.5= 60 N

T= 2 60 = 120 N

Second part

We are looking for the new density

. v2 = T/r p = T/ v2

. v= La f                    

We are looking for wavelength

. k= 2 /l       w= 2 f    T=1/f

. y= A Sin (k x – w t)= A sin ( 2 (x/La -t/T)       y= 0.27 Sin (2 ( x/La - t/2.12 )    

. t= T= 0.47 s       x=L

For the point initial the amplitude y=0   we have     Sin (kx-wt)= 0   

.   2 (L/l -T/2.12) = 2                L/l - T/T = 1    x/l=2     l= 2/L=2/7.5=0.266 m

Introducing

. v = 0.266 0.47 = 0.125 m/s

p = T/ v2 = 2 T0 / v2 = 2 60/ 0.1252 = 7680 Kg/m3

Third part

As the speed is constant

. v=d/t      t= d/v= 2L0/ v                t= 2 7.5/ 0.125 = 120