Answer to Question #300515 in Physics for KeKo

Question

E56. The equation y= a sin (wt-kx) represents a sound wave traveling along the x-direction. What is the physical interpretation of the quantities a, y, w, t, and k? Deduce whether the wave is traveling in the positive or negative x-direction.

If a= 2.0*10^-7m, w= 8*10^3 s^-1, and k= 25m^-1 calculate (a) the speed of a particle of the wave, and (b) the maximum speed of a particle of the medium disturbed by the wave.

What is the equation of the reflected wave produced when such a wave strikes a rigid boundary normally? By considering the interference of the two waves, show that the resulting displacement is a stationary wave and deduce the distance between successive nodes.