3/6/2017 BoundaryBehavior

BoundaryBehavior
InterferenceandBeats
TheDopplerEffectandShockWaves
BoundaryBehavior
Reflection,Refraction,andDiffraction

Asasoundwavetravelsthroughamedium,itwilloftenreachtheendofthemediumandencounteran
obstacleorperhapsanothermediumthroughwhichitcouldtravel.Whenonemediumends,another
mediumbeginstheinterfaceofthetwomediaisreferredtoastheboundaryandthebehaviorofa
waveatthatboundaryisdescribedasitsboundarybehavior.Thebehaviorofawave(orpulse)upon
reachingtheendofamediumisreferredtoasboundarybehavior.Thereareessentiallyfourpossible
behaviorsthatawavecouldexhibitataboundary:reflection(thebouncingoffoftheboundary),
diffraction(thebendingaroundtheobstaclewithoutcrossingovertheboundary),transmission(the
crossingoftheboundaryintothenewmaterialorobstacle),andrefraction(occursalongwith
transmissionandischaracterizedbythesubsequentchangeinspeedanddirection).Inthispartof
Lesson3,thefocuswillbeuponthereflectionbehaviorofsoundwaves.LaterinLesson3,diffraction,
transmission,andrefractionwillbediscussedinmoredetail.
InUnit10ofThePhysicsClassroom,theboundarybehaviorofapulseonaropewasdiscussed.Inthat
unit,itwasmentionedthattherearetwotypesofreflectionforwaves
onropes:fixedendreflectionandfreeendreflection.Apulsemoving
througharopewilleventuallyreachitsend.Uponreachingtheendof
themedium,twothingsoccur:
Aportionoftheenergycarriedbythepulseisreflectedand
returnstowardstheleftendoftherope.Thedisturbancethatreturnstotheleftisknownas
thereflectedpulse.
Aportionoftheenergycarriedbythepulseistransmittedintothenewmedium.Iftheropeis
attachedtoapole(asshownattheright),thepolewillreceivesomeoftheenergyandbeginto
vibrate.Iftheropeisnotattachedtoapolebutratherrestingontheground,thenaportionofthe
energyistransmittedintotheair(thenewmedium),causingslightdisturbancesoftheairparticles.

Theamountofenergythatbecomesreflectedisdependentuponthedissimilarityofthetwomedia.The
moresimilarthatthetwomediaoneachsideoftheboundaryare,thelessreflectionthatoccursand
themoretransmissionthatoccurs.Conversely,thelesssimilarthatthetwomediaoneachsideofthe
boundaryare,themorereflectionthatoccursandthelesstransmissionthatoccurs.Soifaheavyrope
isattachedtoalightrope(twoverydissimilarmedia),littletransmissionandmostlyreflectionoccurs.
Andifaheavyropeisattachedtoanotherheavyrope(twoverysimilarmedia),littlereflectionand
mostlytransmissionoccurs.

Themoresimilarthemedium,themoretransmissionthatoccurs.

Theseprinciplesofreflectioncanbeappliedtosoundwaves.Thoughasoundwavedoesnotconsistof
crestsandtroughs,theydoconsistofcompressionsandrarefactions.Ifasoundwaveistraveling 1/2
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson3/BoundaryBehavior
throughacylindricaltube,itwilleventuallycometotheendofthetube.Theendofthetuberepresents
3/6/2017 BoundaryBehavior

aboundarybetweentheenclosedairinthetubeandtheexpanseofairoutsideofthetube.Upon
reachingtheendofthetube,thesoundwavewillundergopartialreflectionandpartialtransmission.
Thatis,aportionoftheenergycarriedbythesoundwavewillpassacrosstheboundaryandoutofthe
tube(transmission)andaportionoftheenergycarriedbythesoundwavewillreflectofftheboundary,
remaininthetubeandtravelintheoppositedirection(reflection).Thereflectedpulseofftheendofthe
tubecantheninterferewithanysubsequentincidentpulsesthataretravelingintheoppositedirection.
Ifthedisturbanceswithinthetubearetheresultofperpetualwavesofaconstantfrequency,then
interferencebetweentheincidentandreflectedwaveswilloccuralongthelengthofthetube.The
reflectionbehaviorofsoundwavesandthesubsequentinterferencethatoccurswillbecomeimportant
inLesson5duringthediscussionofmusicalinstruments.Manymusicalinstrumentsoperateasthe
resultofsoundwavestravelingbackandforthinsideof"tubes"oraircolumns.
Thereflectionofsoundalsobecomesimportanttothedesignofconcerthallsandauditoriums.The
acousticsofsoundmustbeconsideredinthedesignofsuchbuildings.Themostimportant
considerationsincludedestructiveinterferenceandreverberations,bothofwhicharetheresultof
reflectionsofsoundoffthewallsandceilings.Designersattempttoreducetheseverityofthese
problemsbyusingbuildingmaterialsthatreducetheamountofreflectionandenhancetheamountof
transmission(orabsorption)intothewallsandceilings.Themostreflectivematerialsarethosethatare
smoothandhardsuchmaterialsareverydissimilartoairandthusreducetheamountoftransmission
andincreasetheamountofreflection.Thebestmaterialstouseinthedesignofconcerthallsand
auditoriumsarethosematerialsthataresoft.Forthisreason,fiberglassandacoustictileareusedin
suchbuildingsratherthancementandbrick.

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson3/BoundaryBehavior 2/2