The Analysis of Half-wave Loss for Mechanical Wave
Abstract:
When the incident wave propagates from sparse medium to dense medium, there may be a phase mutation for the reflection wave. Since the mutation is equal to π \pi π, which corresponds to a half-wavelength change, it is called a half-wave loss. In this essay, the mechanism of the half-wave loss and the phase mutation is elaborated.
Key words:
incident wave; half-wave loss; transmission wave; reflection wave; mechanical wave
Introduction
Wave is an important motion form in nature. Wave exists in many science and technology fields and is closely associated with human being. Wave can be separated into mechanical wave, electromagnetic wave and matter wave. Although the natures of different forms of waves are different, they follow the same principle as waves.
For waves propagating between two different medium, it is significant to determine whether there will be a half-wave loss at the interface. The half-wave loss problem for oblique incidence and electromagnetic wave is too sophisticated to discuss, so only the normal incidence of mechanical waves is discussed in this essay.
The Nature of Half-wave Loss for Mechanical Waves
Suppose a plane harmonic wave $y_i=Acos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_1})] $ propagates from medium 1 to medium 2, whose direction is perpendicular to the interface. The reflection wave and the transmission wave are y r = B c o s [ ω ( t − x v 1 ) ] y_r=Bcos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_1})] yr=Bcos[ω(t−v1x)] and y t = C c o s [ ω ( t − x v 2 ) ] y_t=Ccos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_2})] yt=Ccos[ω(t−v2x)]. If B and C have the same sign with A, the incident wave, reflection wave and transmission wave are in phase, which means no half-wave loss occurs. If B and C have the opposite sign to A, the incident wave, reflection wave and transmission wave are out of phase, which means half-wave loss occurs.
The mechanical wave in medium 1:
(1)
y
1
=
y
i
+
y
r
=
A
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
−
x
v
1
)
]
+
B
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
+
x
v
1
)
]
y_1=y_i+y_r=Acos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_1})]+Bcos[\omega(t+\frac{x}{v_1})]\tag{1}
y1=yi+yr=Acos[ω(t−v1x)]+Bcos[ω(t+v1x)](1)
The mechanical wave in medium 2:
(2)
y
2
=
y
t
=
C
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
−
x
v
2
)
]
y_2=y_t= Ccos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_2})]\tag{2}
y2=yt=Ccos[ω(t−v2x)](2)
If there is no sliding and separation between the two medium, the displacement of waves from the two sides should be the same, so as the stress:
(3)
y
1
(
0
,
t
)
=
y
2
(
0
,
t
)
y_1(0,t)=y_2(0,t)\tag{3}
y1(0,t)=y2(0,t)(3)
(4) G 1 ∂ y 1 ( 0 , t ) ∂ x = G 2 ∂ y 2 ( 0 , t ) ∂ s G_1\frac{\partial y_1(0,t)}{\partial x}=G_2\frac{\partial y_2(0,t)}{\partial s}\tag{4} G1∂x∂y1(0,t)=G2∂s∂y2(0,t)(4)
( G 1 G_1 G1 and G 2 G_2 G2 are the elastic shear modulus of medium 1 and medium 2 respectively)
Substitute (1) (2) into (3) (4), we have:
(5)
A
+
B
=
C
A+B=C\tag{5}
A+B=C(5)
(6) G 1 ( A v 1 − B v 2 ) = G 2 C v 2 G_1(\frac{A}{v_1}-\frac{B}{v_2})=G_2\frac{C}{v_2}\tag{6} G1(v1A−v2B)=G2v2C(6)
Since
v
1
=
G
1
ρ
1
v_1=\sqrt{\frac{G_1}{\rho_1}}
v1=ρ1G1 and
v
2
=
G
2
ρ
2
v_2=\sqrt{\frac{G_2}{\rho_2}}
v2=ρ2G2 (
ρ
\rho
ρ is the density of the medium), from (5) and (6), we have:
(7)
B
=
ρ
1
v
1
−
ρ
2
v
2
ρ
1
v
1
+
ρ
2
v
2
A
B=\frac{\rho_1v_1-\rho_2v_2}{\rho_1v_1+\rho_2v_2}A\tag{7}
B=ρ1v1+ρ2v2ρ1v1−ρ2v2A(7)
(8) C = 2 ρ 1 v 1 ρ 1 v 1 + ρ 2 v 2 A C=\frac{2\rho_1v_1}{\rho_1v_1+\rho_2v_2}A\tag{8} C=ρ1v1+ρ2v22ρ1v1A(8)
From (8) we can conclude that C and A always have the same sign, so the transmission wave and the incident wave are always in phase.
Define the product of the density and the velocity of waves in a medium to be the wave resistance ( z = ρ v z=\rho v z=ρv) and the medium with bigger wave resistance is dense medium and the medium with smaller wave resistance is sparse medium. From (7) we can conclude that:
If z 1 > z 2 z_1>z_2 z1>z2, which means wave propagate from dense medium to sparse medium, B and A always have the same sign, the reflection wave and the incident are always in phase and there is no half-wave loss.
If z 1 < z 2 z_1<z_2 z1<z2, which means wave propagate from sparse medium to dense medium, B and A always have the opposite sign, the reflection wave and the incident are always out of phase and there is a half-wave loss.
The Two Special Conditions for Standing Waves
Fixed End
If one side of a waving rope is fixed to a wall, then we call the interface is the fixed end, which means the wave resistance of medium 2 is much bigger than medium 1 ( z 2 → ∞ z_2\rightarrow\infty z2→∞).
From (7), B=-A, so:
y
1
=
y
i
+
y
r
=
A
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
−
x
v
1
)
]
−
A
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
+
x
v
1
)
]
=
2
A
s
i
n
(
ω
v
1
x
)
s
i
n
(
ω
t
)
y_1=y_i+y_r=Acos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_1})]-Acos[\omega(t+\frac{x}{v_1})]=2Asin(\frac{\omega}{v_1}x)sin(\omega t)
y1=yi+yr=Acos[ω(t−v1x)]−Acos[ω(t+v1x)]=2Asin(v1ωx)sin(ωt)
The wave in medium 1 is a standing wave. At the interface(x=0), the amplitude is 0. So there is a node at the interface.
Free End
If the interface is the free end which means the wave resistance of medium 2 is 0 ( z 2 → 0 z_2\rightarrow 0 z2→0).
From (7), B=A, so:
y
1
=
y
i
+
y
r
=
A
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
−
x
v
1
)
]
+
A
c
o
s
[
ω
(
t
+
x
v
1
)
]
=
2
A
c
o
s
(
ω
v
1
x
)
c
o
s
(
ω
t
)
y_1=y_i+y_r=Acos[\omega(t-\frac{x}{v_1})]+Acos[\omega(t+\frac{x}{v_1})]=2Acos(\frac{\omega}{v_1}x)cos(\omega t)
y1=yi+yr=Acos[ω(t−v1x)]+Acos[ω(t+v1x)]=2Acos(v1ωx)cos(ωt)
The wave in medium 1 is a standing wave. At the interface(x=0), the amplitude is 2A. So there is an antinode at the interface.
Conclusion
For normal incidence of mechanical waves, half-wave loss occurs when the incident wave propagates from sparse medium to dense medium. If the interface is a fixed end, a standing wave occurs and the interface is a node. If the interface is a free end, a standing wave occurs and the interface is an antinode. In general cases, if the interface is neither a fixed end nor a free end, the magnitudes of the incident wave and the reflection wave are not the same, so there will not be a standing wave.
Reference
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[3]ZhangSanhui.University Physics[M].3rd edition,Beijing:Tsinghua University Press,2000,81.
[4]ZuoWukui,Zhouhuaigong.Formation and Mechanism Analysis of Half-wave Loss[J].Physics Bulletin,2019(01):33-35.
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