Characteristics of Standing Waves
Category : JEE Main & Advanced
(1) Standing waves can be transverse or longitudinal.
(2) The disturbance confined to a particular region between the starting point and reflecting point of the wave.
(3) There is no forward motion of the disturbance from one particle to the adjoining particle and so on, beyond this particular region.
(4) The total energy associated with a stationary wave is twice the energy of each of incident and reflected wave. As in stationary waves nodes are permanently at rest. So no energy can be transmitted across then i.e. energy of one region (segment) is confined in that region. However this energy oscillates between elastic potential energy and kinetic energy of particles of the medium.
(5) The medium splits up into a number of segments. Each segment is vibrating up and down as a whole.
(6) All the particles in one particular segment vibrate in the same phase. Particles in two consecutive segments differ in phase by \[{{180}^{o}}\].
(7) All the particles except those at nodes, execute simple harmonic motion about their mean position with the same time period.
(8) The amplitude of vibration of particles varies from zero at nodes to maximum at antinodes \[(2a)\].
(9) All points (except nodes) pass their mean position twice in one time period.
(10) Velocity of particles while crossing mean position varies from maximum \[(\omega {{A}_{SW}}=\omega .2a)\] at antinodes to zero at nodes.
(11) In standing waves, if amplitude of component waves are not equal. Resultant amplitude at nodes will be minimum (but not zero). Therefore, some energy will pass across nodes and waves will be partially standing.
(12) Application of stationary waves
(i) Vibration in stretched string
(ii) Vibration in organ pipes (closed and open)
(iii) Kundt's tube Progressive v/s stationary wave
| Progressive wave | Stationary wave |
| These waves transfers energy | These wave does not transfers energy |
| All particles have the same amplitude | Between a node and an antinode all particles have different amplitudes |
| Over one wavelength span all particles have difference phase | Between a node and an antnodes all particles have same phase. |
| No point is at rest | Nodes are always at rest |
| All particles do not cross the mean position simultaneously. | All particles cross the mean position simultaneously. |
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