Practice question
Question
A pipe 0.5 m long, open at both ends, resonates with a 340 Hz source. What is the harmonic number if
the speed of sound is 340 m/s?
Explanation
**Frequency shift** proportional to source speed relative to wave speed v. Understanding sign convention for approaching versus receding is key, with approaching increasing frequency and receding decreasing, central to Doppler applications. For open pipe: v_n = (n v/2L) . Given: v = 340 m/s , L = 0.5 m , v_n = 340 Hz . 340 = (n × 340/2 × 0.5) ⇒ 340 = 340n ⇒ n = 1 . First harmonic (fundamental mode). Using v = fλ and standing-wave condition fₙ = n v/(2L) or v/(4L) as applicable, calculation yields 1, illustrating frequency-length-speed interdependence and quantization by boundaries.
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