A wave pulse travels along a string and reflects off a fixed end. What happens t

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Question: A wave pulse travels along a string and reflects off a fixed end. What happens to the wave upon reflection? (2021)

Options:

Correct Answer: It inverts

Exam Year: 2021

Solution:

When a wave pulse reflects off a fixed end, it inverts due to the boundary condition at the fixed end.

A wave pulse travels along a string and reflects off a fixed end. What happens to the wave upon reflection? (2021)

A wave pulse travels along a string and reflects off a fixed end. What happens to the wave upon reflection? (2021)

Step 1: Understand that a wave pulse is a disturbance that travels along a string.
Step 2: Recognize that a fixed end means the end of the string cannot move.
Step 3: When the wave pulse reaches the fixed end, it cannot continue moving forward.
Step 4: The wave pulse reflects back towards the direction it came from.
Step 5: During this reflection, the wave pulse flips upside down, which is called inversion.
Step 6: This inversion happens because the fixed end pushes back against the wave.

Wave Reflection – When a wave pulse reflects off a fixed boundary, it undergoes inversion, meaning the crest becomes a trough and vice versa.
Boundary Conditions – The behavior of waves at boundaries is governed by specific conditions, such as fixed ends causing inversion.