Chapter 9.2, Problem 4bT

Which of the following quantities are different on the two sides of the boundary?

• tension
• linear mass density
• wave speed

Which of the speed above quantities could you use to predict whether the boundary will act more like a fixed end or more like a free end? (It may help to consider limiting cases, i.e., very large or very small values of the properties.)

Describe how you could predict whether the reflected pulse will be on the same side of the spring as the incident pulse or whether it will be on the opposite side.

Describe how you could predict whether the transmitted pulse will be on the same side of the spring as the incident pulse or whether it will be on the opposite side.