Musicians can use beats to tune their instruments. One flute is properly tuned a

Question

Musicians can use beats to tune their instruments. One flute is properly tuned and plays the musical note A at exactly 440 Hz. A second player sounds the same note and hears that her instrument is slightly "flat" (i.e., at too low a frequency). Playing at the same time as the first flute, she hears one loud-soft-loud beat per second.

Part B

By how much she must shorten her flute to bring it into tune? Assume a speed of sound of 350 m/s.

Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.

Explanation / Answer

As she is flat, the frequency received by her 440 Hz

If she heard 2 beat per second ( one loud-soft-loud beat ),

2 = 440 - x

Here x is frequency of instrument

Thus, x = 238 Hz

Use the expression

Find the wavelength at this frequency to find shorten length of her flute to bring it into tune

v = frequency x wavelength

Solve for wavelength

wavelength = 350 / 438 = 0.799 m

Round off to two significant digits

length = 0.80 m

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse M
• Subjects

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.