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Q.(a) Draw the pattern of waveforms of the first two harmonics in a closed pipe.

(2)
(b) Show that in a closed pipe, the frequencies of first two harmonics are in the ratio 1 : 3. (2)
Kerala DhseKerala DHSE Plus One Board 2022Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
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Figure — The stem says 'Draw the pattern of waveforms of the first two harmonics in a closed pipe' — a draw requirement
Figure — The stem says 'Draw the pattern of waveforms of the first two harmonics in a closed pipe' — a draw requirement

In a pipe closed at one end, the boundary conditions (node at the closed end, antinode at the open end) allow only odd harmonics. This answer describes the exact shape of the first two allowed standing-wave patterns in words — a diagram source was not supplied with this question, so the node/antinode positions below are given precisely enough for you to sketch them.

Boundary conditions

  • The closed end cannot vibrate, so it is always a displacement node (N).
  • The open end is free to vibrate maximally, so it is always a displacement antinode (A).

For a pipe of length L, the allowed standing-wave patterns satisfy

L=(2n−1)λn4,n=1,2,3,…L = (2n-1)\frac{\lambda_n}{4}, \quad n = 1, 2, 3, \ldots

so only odd harmonics (1st, 3rd, 5th, …) are possible — even harmonics cannot satisfy a node-at-one-end/antinode-at-the-other boundary condition.

First harmonic (fundamental, n = 1)

L=λ14  ⇒  λ1=4L,f1=v4LL = \frac{\lambda_1}{4} \;\Rightarrow\; \lambda_1 = 4L, \qquad f_1 = \frac{v}{4L}

Shape: starting at the closed end (x = 0, a node), the displacement rises smoothly to a maximum at the open end (x = L, an antinode) — a single quarter-wave arch, with exactly one node and one antinode and no node/antinode in between.

Second allowed harmonic (the 3rd harmonic, n = 2)

L=3λ24  ⇒  λ2=4L3,f2=3v4L=3f1L = \frac{3\lambda_2}{4} \;\Rightarrow\; \lambda_2 = \frac{4L}{3}, \qquad f_2 = \frac{3v}{4L} = 3f_1

With a node fixed at x = 0, the standing-wave pattern (nodes every λ₂/2, antinodes every λ₂/2 starting at λ₂/4) works out to:

  • Node at x = 0 (closed end) …

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