SCHOOL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY

PANDIT DEENDAYAL PETROLUM UNIVERSITY, GANDHINAGAR

1. What is a wave? Define a periodic wave. What is the difference between a traveling wave and standing wave?
2. If the amplitude of a SHM doubled, how the following quantities affected (a) Frequency (b) phase
constant (c) maximum speed (d) maximum acceleration and (e) total energy?
3. How could you prove experimentally that energy is associated with a wave?
When two waves interfere, does one alter the progress of the other? When waves interfere, is there a
loss of energy? Explain your answer.
4. Energy can be transferred by particles as well as by waves. How can we experimentally distinguish
between these methods of energy transfer?
A simple pendulum of length 1.53 m makes 72 oscillations in 180 sec
5. The equation of a transverse wave traveling along a very long string is
y = 6.0 sin (0.020π * x + 4.0π * t )
Where, x and y are expressed in cm and t in seconds. Determine (a) the amplitude, (b) the
wavelength,(c) the frequency, (d) the speed ,(e) the direction of propagation of the wave ,(f) the
maximum transverse speed of a particle in the string, (g) the transverse displacement at x = 3.5 cm
when t = 0.26 seconds.
6. A block spring system undergoes SHM at frequency f. How many times per cycle do the following
conditions occur: (a) the speed is a maximum; (b) the acceleration is zero; (c) the kinetic energy is
equal to the 50% of the potential energy; (d) the potential energy is equal to the total energy of the
system?
7. A simple pendulum is suspended from a roof of a elevator. How is its period affected when the
elevator’s acceleration is (a) upward (b) downward?
8. How do the amplitude and the intensity of surface water waves vary with the distance from the
source?
9. A line source emits a cylindrical expanding wave. Assuming the medium absorbs no energy, find how
(i) the intensity and (ii) the amplitude of the wave depend on the distance from the source.
10. (a) Define phase velocity and group velocity. (b) Make diagram and explain how group velocity is
different from phase velocity. Write the formula for each in terms of the wave propagation constant
and angular frequency.
11. What is dispersion? What are dispersive and non-dispersive media? What has dispersion to do with
group velocity?
12. Establish the equation of a damped harmonic oscillator, which is subjected to a resistive force
proportional to the first power of its velocity. Assuming the damping to be less than critical answer
the following: (i) Show that the motion of the system is oscillatory with its amplitude decaying
exponentially with time. (ii) Find out the frequency of oscillation. Comment on whether the frequency
of oscillation is greater or less than the natural frequency of oscillation.
13. A mass less spring, suspended from a rigid support, carries a flat disc of mass 100g at its lower end. It
is observed that the system oscillates with a frequency 10 Hz and the amplitude of the damped
oscillations reduces to half its undamped value in one minute. Calculate the resistive force constant
and the relaxation time of the system.
14. (a) What do you understand by free and forced vibrations? (b) What do you mean by resonance?
When does it occur? (c) Write a note on sharpness of resonance
15. Give the theory of forced vibrations and deduce the condition for amplitude and velocity resonance.
Write a note on sharpness of resonance. Give two examples of common phenomenon in which
resonance plays an important role.
 SCHOOL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
PANDIT DEENDAYAL PETROLUM UNIVERSITY, GANDHINAGAR
TUTORIAL SHEET OF WAVES AND OSCILLATION

16. In a damped oscillator let m = 250gm, k = 85N/m and b = 0.070 kg/s. In how many periods of
oscillation will the mechanical energy of the oscillator drop to half of its initial value?
17. A simple pendulum of length 0.4 m is released when it makes an angle of 20o with the vertical. Find:
(a) its period (b) speed at the lowest point, (c) if the mass of the bob is 50 gm, what is the total
energy?
18. A cinema hall has a volume of 7500 m3. It is required to have a reverberation of 1.2 sec. What should
0.162
be total absorption in the hall? The reverberation time is given by [ T = ]
A
19. A horizontal platform with an object placed on it is executing SHM in the vertical direction. The
amplitude of the oscillation is 2.5 cm. What must be the least period of these oscillations so that the
object is not detached from the platform? [g = 10 m/s2]
20. An ideal gas is enclosed in a vertical cylindrical container and supports a freely moving piston of mass
M. The piston and the cylinder have equal cross sectional area A. Atmospheric pressure is P0 and
when the piston is equilibrium the volume of the gas is V0. The piston is displaced slightly from its
equilibrium position. Assume that the system is completely isolated from the surroundings, show that
the piston executes SHM and find the frequency of oscillation.
21. The energy of a piano string of frequency 256 Hz reduced to half of its initial value in 2 sec. What is
the Q value of the string?
22. A vibrating system of natural frequency 500 Hz is forced to vibrate with a periodic force of amplitude
10−3 N/kg in the presence of damping coefficient of 10−5/sec. Calculate the maximum amplitude of
vibration of the system. [1.6x10−2 m]
23. A hollow sphere is filled with water through a small hole in it. It is hung by a long thread and as the
water flows out of the hole at the bottom, one finds that the period of oscillation first increases and
then decreases. Explain why.
24. Consider the forced oscillations of a damped block – spring system. Show that at resonance (a) the
amplitude of oscillation is xm = Fm/bω and (b) the maximum speed of the oscillation of the block is
vmax = Fm/b.
25. Electrons in an oscilloscope are deflected by two mutually perpendicular electric force in such a way
that at any time t the displacement is given by x = A Cos ωt and y = A Cos (ωt + φy). Describe the path
of the electrons and determine the equation when (a) φy = 0 (b) φy = 300 (c) φy = 900.