Q.How are stationary waves formed in closed pipes? Explain the 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/s, what is the fundamental frequency of vibration of the air column?
You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.
Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →In a pipe closed at one end, a node forms at the closed end and an antinode at the open end, so only odd harmonics () are possible; for a 70 cm closed pipe with sound speed 331 m/s, the fundamental frequency comes out to about 118.2 Hz.
Stationary waves in a closed pipe (closed at one end)
When sound is produced near the open end of a pipe closed at the other end, the wave travels down, reflects at the closed end, and superposes with the incident wave to form a stationary wave.
Boundary conditions: At the closed end, air molecules cannot move — a node (N) of displacement always forms there. At the open end, air molecules vibrate freely with maximum amplitude — an antinode (A) forms there.
Fundamental mode (1st harmonic): The simplest pattern has a node at the closed end and an antinode at the open end, with no other nodes/antinodes in between. This corresponds to a quarter wavelength fitting into the pipe length :
Higher modes (overtones): The next possible pattern must still have a node at the closed end and antinode at the open end; adding one more node-antinode pair gives:
and in general, for the -th allowed mode: …
Unlock everything free for 14 days
- Full step-by-step solutions
- Concept-first explanations
- Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
- PYQ mapping + timed mock tests
Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.