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Question 54 of 80

Q.A sine wave of wavelength 'λ\lambda' is travelling in a medium. What is the minimum distance between two particles of the medium which always have the same speed?

(a) λ\lambda
(b) λ2\dfrac{\lambda}{2}
(c) λ3\dfrac{\lambda}{3}
(d) λ4\dfrac{\lambda}{4}
Maharashtra MsbshseMaharashtra HSC (MSBSHSE) Board 2017MCQ· 1mImportance★★★★★
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For a progressive wave y=Asin⁡(kx−ωt)y = A\sin(kx-\omega t), the particle speed is ∣v∣=Aω∣cos⁡(kx−ωt)∣|v| = A\omega|\cos(kx-\omega t)|; two particles have equal speed at every instant only if their phase difference is 00 or π\pi.

Let the wave be y(x,t)=Asin⁡(kx−ωt)y(x,t) = A\sin(kx - \omega t), so the transverse particle velocity is

v(x,t)=∂y∂t=−Aωcos⁡(kx−ωt)v(x,t) = \frac{\partial y}{\partial t} = -A\omega\cos(kx-\omega t)

For two particles at positions x1x_1 and x2=x1+Δxx_2 = x_1 + \Delta x, their velocities are −Aωcos⁡θ-A\omega\cos\theta and −Aωcos⁡(θ+ϕ)-A\omega\cos(\theta+\phi), where θ=kx1−ωt\theta = kx_1-\omega t (which sweeps through all values as tt varies) and ϕ=kΔx\phi = k\Delta x is the constant phase difference between the particles.

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