Q.How are stationary waves formed in closed pipes? Explain various modes of vibrations and obtain relations for their frequencies. A closed organ pipe 70 cm long is sounded. If the velocity of sound is 331 m/sec, what is the fundamental frequency of vibration of the air column?
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →A closed pipe has a node at the closed end and antinode at the open end; only odd harmonics () exist. For L = 70 cm and v = 331 m/s, the fundamental frequency is about 118.2 Hz.
Formation of stationary waves in a closed pipe: A closed organ pipe is closed at one end and open at the other. Sound waves sent into the pipe reflect off the closed end (producing a phase reversal, since a rigid boundary forces displacement to be zero there) and interfere with the incoming wave to set up a stationary (standing) wave inside the pipe. The boundary conditions require a displacement node (N) at the closed end (air cannot move there) and a displacement antinode (A) at the open end (air is free to vibrate maximally there).
Modes of vibration:
- Fundamental (1st harmonic): The simplest standing wave pattern has one node at the closed end and one antinode at the open end, with a quarter wavelength fitting in the pipe length :
- Higher harmonics: Only odd multiples of the fundamental are possible (even harmonics cannot satisfy the node-at-closed-end, antinode-at-open-end condition). In general, for the -th allowed mode (with quarter-wavelengths fitting the pipe): …
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