Skip to content

Revise: Vibration of Strings, Resonance

Stationary waves, vibrating strings, the resonance column and organ pipes, and the intensity of waves.

Stationary Waves

Nodes (zero displacement) and antinodes (max displacement) are fixed, spaced λ/2 apart.

0.3 m between adjacent nodes gives λ = 0.6 m.

Resonance Column

Closed pipe: first resonance at L = λ/4 (node at closed end, antinode at open end).

512 Hz resonating at L = 0.16 m gives v ≈ 327.7 m/s.

Organ Pipes

Open pipe: fundamental at L = λ/2 (antinode at both ends) — an octave above a closed pipe of the same length.

A 1.2 m open pipe has a fundamental of ≈ 141.7 Hz.

Intensity of Waves

I = P/A; intensity falls off as a wave's power spreads over a larger area.

0.5 W over 10 m² gives an intensity of 0.05 W/m².