Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Exam
- Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]
- Subject
- Physics
- Chapter
- Sound Waves
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1] · Physics · Sound Waves
Two stereo speakers are separated by a distance of 2.40 m . A...
Two stereo speakers are separated by a distance of . A person stands at a distance of directly in front of one of the speakers, as shown in the figure. Determine the frequencies in the audible range (–) for which the listener will hear a minimum sound intensity. The speed of sound in air is .

Options
- A, where
- B, where
- C, where
- D, where
Correct answer
C. , where
Step-by-step solution
Let the two speakers be and , and the listener be at point .
The distance from the first speaker to the listener is:
The distance from the second speaker to the listener is:
The path difference between the sound waves reaching the listener is:
For minimum sound intensity (destructive interference), the path difference must be an odd multiple of half the wavelength:
, where
Using the relation , we have . Substituting this into the condition for destructive interference:
Solving for the frequency :
Given the speed of sound and :
The listener can hear frequencies in the audible range :
Dividing by :
Subtracting :
Dividing by :
Since must be a non-negative integer, the possible values are .
Thus, the frequencies for minimum sound intensity are , where .
The distance from the first speaker to the listener is:
The distance from the second speaker to the listener is:
The path difference between the sound waves reaching the listener is:
For minimum sound intensity (destructive interference), the path difference must be an odd multiple of half the wavelength:
, where
Using the relation , we have . Substituting this into the condition for destructive interference:
Solving for the frequency :
Given the speed of sound and :
The listener can hear frequencies in the audible range :
Dividing by :
Subtracting :
Dividing by :
Since must be a non-negative integer, the possible values are .
Thus, the frequencies for minimum sound intensity are , where .