Can Secret Agent Jane Pond Retrieve the Plans at the Bottom of the Well?

In summary, Secret Agent Jane Pond must retrieve the secret plans of her arch-nemesis EvilToes, which were thrown down a deep well. She has a 10m rope and a device that can generate a range of frequencies. By using the device, she finds two "loud" frequencies (62.5 Hz and 87.5 Hz) and wonders if her rope is long enough to reach the bottom of the well. This situation involves superposition of waves and standing waves, similar to an organ pipe.
  • #1
Sastronaut
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0

Homework Statement


Secret Agent Jane Pond must retrieve the secret plans of her arch-nemesis EvilToes. These plans were tossed (by one of EvilToes’ bumbling henchmen) down a well of unknown depth. Jane is carrying a rope 10m long and a “standard issue VPG-C1C7”. (The VPG-C1C7 is a device that will generate a pitch of the set frequency, allowing the user to vary that frequency continuously over six octaves.) When Jane holds the VPG-C1C7 over the hole and steadily increases the frequency of the emitted sound, she finds certain frequencies which sound much louder than others. Two successive (but not necessarily the lowest two) such “loud” frequencies are 62.5 Hz and 87.5 Hz. Is Jane’s rope long enough to reach the bottom of the hole?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution


I am still trying to identify where to begin for this situation...I believe that I am dealing with superposition of waves as well destructive and constructive interference. Could anyone just point me in the right direction as to where I should begin this problem! thanks pf!
 
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  • #2
Hi Sastronaut! :smile:
Sastronaut said:
...I believe that I am dealing with superposition of waves as well destructive and constructive interference.

Nah, it's just music …

it's a very long organ pipe, and those are two standing waves. :wink:​
 
  • #3
Hello tiny-tim!
how so?? could you explain further!
 
  • #5
great video thank you so much for your help! :)
 

Related to Can Secret Agent Jane Pond Retrieve the Plans at the Bottom of the Well?

What is superposition of waves?

Superposition of waves is the phenomenon where two or more waves interact with each other and combine to form a new wave. This new wave has properties that are a combination of the original waves.

How does superposition of waves occur?

Superposition of waves occurs when two or more waves travel through the same medium at the same time. The waves will overlap with each other and their amplitudes will either add or subtract, depending on the phase difference between the waves.

What are the types of superposition of waves?

The two types of superposition of waves are constructive interference and destructive interference. In constructive interference, the waves have the same phase and their amplitudes add together, resulting in a larger amplitude. In destructive interference, the waves have opposite phases and their amplitudes cancel out, resulting in a smaller amplitude or no wave at all.

What are the real-life applications of superposition of waves?

Superposition of waves is used in various fields such as acoustics, optics, and electronics. In acoustics, it is used to create noise-cancelling headphones. In optics, it is used in interferometers to measure small changes in distance. In electronics, it is used in radio and TV broadcasting to transmit signals over long distances.

What is the difference between superposition of waves and interference?

Superposition of waves is the combination of two or more waves, while interference specifically refers to the resulting wave that is created when the waves interact. Superposition of waves is a general term, while interference is a specific type of superposition where the waves have opposite phases and cancel each other out.

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