Standing Waves

Wave Propagation
• Wave motion: Disturbance of

particles in an elastic medium Particles oscillate over only short
from equilibrium position (x0) can distances, but pattern of motion
propagate through to particles propagates over long distance
that are coupled to the site of
the disturbance, and then to
particles that are coupled to
those... etc..
• Transverse Waves:
Particle motion is at right angles
to direction of wave propagation.
• Longitudinal Waves:
Particle motion is along the axis
of wave propagation.
Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State university

https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/waves-intro/waves-intro.html
Longitudinal Sound Waves
Sinusoidal oscillation of air
molecule positions at any given
point in space results in sinusoidal
oscillation of pressure between
pressure maxima and minima
(rarefactions).
• Sinusoidal oscillation in particle velocity also results--90˚ out of

phase with pressure.
• Due to propagation sinusoidal pattern can also be seen in space.
Increased
Zero
λ
Velocity Decreased
Velocity Velocity
Wavelength (λ) is
the distance in space
between successive
maxima (or minima)
Wavelength and frequency
• Speed of Sound (c):
Pressure wave propagates through air at 34,029 cm/sec
• Since distance traveled = velocity * elapsed time

• if T is the period of one sinusoidal oscillation, then:
λ = cT
• And since T=1/f :
λ = c/f
Superposition of waves
Waves traveling in opposite

directions superpose when they
coincide, then continue traveling.
Oscillations of the same

frequency, and same amplitude
form standing waves when they
superpose.
•Don’t travel, only change in
amplitude over time.
•Nodes: no change in position.
•Anti-nodes: maximal change in
position.
ANTI-
NODE
NODE
Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State university
https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/
superposition.html
Reflections
• Where there is a discontinuity in the
medium, waves will be reflected. HARD
• At a hard boundary, the displacement

wave is reflected with the opposite
polarity of velocity.
• reflected and incident waves are

constrained to always be anti- SOFT
phase at boundary >
• node in the standing wave
• At a soft boundary, the wave is

reflected with the same polarity.
• reflected and incident waves are
constrained to always be in-phase
at boundary >
• anti-node in the standing wave Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State university
https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/
https://www.walter-fendt.de/html5/phen/standingwavereflection_en.htm superposition.html
Standing Waves in a Tube
• Inonlya tube with boundaries at both ends (either open or closed),
oscillations of certain wavelengths (λ)will produce
sustained standing waves.
• This is because reflections cause there to be a node or anti-
node of velocity (closed end) or an anti-node (open end) at
each end.
• Only vibrations of the certain wavelengths will have the
distance between nodes (or between node and anti-node), so
as the match the condition (node or anti-node) at both ends.
https://www.walter-fendt.de/html5/phen/standinglongitudinalwaves_en.htm
Tube closed at both ends
• Closed-end tube supports pressure anti-nodes or velocity
nodes. Standing waves can be set up for a wavelength that has
a pressure max (or min) at one end and a pressure max (or
min) at the other.
• The distance between a pressure max and min is 1/2 λ, so if
the length of the tube (L) = 1/2 λ, then a standing wave can be
sustained. Put another way...
• When λ = 2L, the distance between pressure anti-nodes
allows there to be a max at one boundary and a min at the
other.
λ
λ L= λ/2
L= c/2f
f= c/2L
L= λ f= c/L
L= 3λ/2 f= 3c/2L
L= 2 λ f= 2c/L
nc
f= n = 1, 2, 3, 4...
2L
http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/stlwaves.htm
Tube closed at one end
• Closed-end can support pressure anti-nodes, while open-end
can support pressure nodes.
• Standing waves can be set up for a wavelength that has a
pressure max at one end and a pressure zero (velocity max or
min) at the other.
• The distance between a pressure max and zero is 1/4 λ, so if
the length of the tube (L) is 1/4 λ, then the constraint of each
end will be satisfied.
λ
L= λ/4
L= c/4f
λ
f= c/4L
L= 3λ/4 f= 3c/4L
L= 5λ/4 f= 5c/4L
L= 7λ/4 f= 7c/4L
nc
f= n = 1, 3, 5, 7...
4L
http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/stlwaves.htm
Deriving formants of schwa
• Resonance frequencies (formants) in a given tube correspond
to the frequencies that can set up standing waves.
• For tube that is closed at one end, open at the other, the
Length of the tube has to be 1/4 of the wavelength (distance
from pressure max or min to pressure zero) of the lowest
frequency oscillation that can produce a standing wave.
Next higher resonances will occur
L= when L = 3λ/4, 5λ/4, 7λ/4 and f will be:
4
c
L= 3c 5c 7c
4f f= f= f=
4L 4L 4L
c 34000
f= = = 500
4L 4 · 17
f=
nc
n = 1, 3, 5, 7...
4L
f = 500, 1500, 2500, 3500...

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Wave Propagation

• Wave motion: Disturbance of

Animations courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State university

• Sinusoidal oscillation in particle velocity also results--90˚ out of

• Since distance traveled = velocity * elapsed time

Waves traveling in opposite

Oscillations of the same

• At a hard boundary, the displacement

• reflected and incident waves are

• At a soft boundary, the wave is

f = 500, 1500, 2500, 3500...

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