Question

Two loudspeakers are about 10 mm apart in the front of a large classroom. If either speaker plays a pure tone at a single frequency of 400 HzHz, the loudness seems pretty even as you wander around the room, and gradually decreases in volume as you move farther from the speaker. If both speakers then play the same tone together, what do you hear as you wander around the room

Answer 1

I hear points of low volume sound and points of high volume of sound.

Step-by-step explanation:

This is because, since the two sources of sound have the same frequency and are separated by a distance, d = 10 mm, there would be successive points of constructive and destructive interference.

Since their frequencies are similar, we should have beats of high and low frequency.

So, at points of low frequency, the amplitude of the wave is smallest and there is destructive interference. The frequency at this point is the difference between the frequencies from both speakers. Since the frequency from both speakers is 400 Hz, we have, f - f' = 400 Hz - 400 Hz = 0 Hz. So, the volume of the sound is low(zero) at these points.

Also, at points of high frequency, the amplitude of the wave is highest and there is constructive interference. The frequency at this point is the sum between the frequencies from both speakers. Since the frequency from both speakers is 400 Hz, we have, (f + f') = 400 Hz + 400 Hz = 800 Hz. So, the volume of the sound is high at these points.

So, as you wander around the room, I should hear points of high and low sound across the room.