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Q.Why does the sound of air produced by an open organ pipe more musical than a closed organ pipe ? Explain in detail.

Bihar BsebBihar Board Intermediate 1st Year 2022Subjective· 5mImportance★★★★★
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An open organ pipe produces all harmonics (even + odd), while a closed pipe produces only odd harmonics — the richer overtone content makes the open pipe more musical.

The quality (timbre) of a musical note depends on the number and strength of the overtones (harmonics) present along with the fundamental. The more harmonics present, the richer and sweeter the sound.

Open organ pipe (open at both ends): each end is a displacement antinode. The possible frequencies are

n=v2L,  2v2L,  3v2L,…=n1,2n1,3n1,…n = \dfrac{v}{2L},\; \dfrac{2v}{2L},\; \dfrac{3v}{2L}, \ldots = n_1, 2n_1, 3n_1, \ldots

So it contains all harmonics — the fundamental and both even and odd multiples of it.

Closed organ pipe (closed at one end): the closed end is a node and the open end an antinode. The possible frequencies are

n=v4L,  3v4L,  5v4L,…=n1,3n1,5n1,…n = \dfrac{v}{4L},\; \dfrac{3v}{4L},\; \dfrac{5v}{4L}, \ldots = n_1, 3n_1, 5n_1, \ldots

So it contains only odd harmonics; the even harmonics are missing.

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