Waves, Sound and Light: Light Waves

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Light Waves: Audio Guided Solution

Problem Set LW6, Question 8:

Ms. Burton takes her Period 2 Physics class to the Auditorium for a demonstration. She has set up two audio

speakers on the stage that produce a 212-Hertz tone. The sound waves travel through the room at 362 m/s and interfere to create a sound interference pattern. The students are instructed to start at a location midway between the speakers and walk parallel to the line that connects the speakers until they reach a location of minimal loudness. If a student on the first point of minimum loudness is standing 34.4 m from the nearest speaker, then how far is she from the furthest speaker?

Audio Guided Solution

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Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

An effective problem solver by habit approaches a physics problem in a manner that reflects a collection of disciplined habits. To be an effective problem-solver...

... read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
... identify the known and unknown quantities and record them in an organized manne; often times, they can be recorded on the diagram itself. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity (e.g., v = 3.00x10⁸ m/s, λ = 554 nm, f = ???).
... use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
... identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
... perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Light Waves at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.