Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Exam
- Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Subject
- Physics
- Chapter
- Newton's Laws of Motion
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1] · Physics · Newton's Laws of Motion
Two speakers S_1 and S_2 , powered by a common amplifier, are...
Two speakers and , powered by a common amplifier, are situated at and as shown in the figure. These speakers vibrate in phase at . A man is standing at a point on the X-axis located at a very large distance from the origin and begins to move parallel to the Y-axis. The speed of sound in air is given as . If he continues walking along the same line past the first maximum, how many additional maxima can he hear?


Options
- A
- B
- C
- D
Correct answer
D.
Step-by-step solution
The wavelength of the sound wave is given by:
The distance between the two speakers and is:
For an observer at a very large distance from the origin, the path difference at an angle from the X-axis is:
For a maximum (constructive interference), the path difference must be an integer multiple of the wavelength:
Substituting the values, we get:
Since the maximum value of is (as \theta \to 90^{}^{{}^{\circ}} when the man moves to infinity parallel to the Y-axis):
The possible non-negative integer values for are .
The man starts at a point on the X-axis, where \theta = 0^{}^{{}^{\circ}}. This corresponds to the central maximum ().
As he moves parallel to the Y-axis, increases, and he will successively encounter the maxima for .
The first maximum he encounters while walking corresponds to .
If he continues walking past this first maximum, the additional maxima he will hear correspond to and .
Therefore, he will hear additional maxima.
The distance between the two speakers and is:
For an observer at a very large distance from the origin, the path difference at an angle from the X-axis is:
For a maximum (constructive interference), the path difference must be an integer multiple of the wavelength:
Substituting the values, we get:
Since the maximum value of is (as \theta \to 90^{}^{{}^{\circ}} when the man moves to infinity parallel to the Y-axis):
The possible non-negative integer values for are .
The man starts at a point on the X-axis, where \theta = 0^{}^{{}^{\circ}}. This corresponds to the central maximum ().
As he moves parallel to the Y-axis, increases, and he will successively encounter the maxima for .
The first maximum he encounters while walking corresponds to .
If he continues walking past this first maximum, the additional maxima he will hear correspond to and .
Therefore, he will hear additional maxima.