Question

Two identical harmonic pulses travelling in opposite directions in a taut string approach each other. At the instant when they completely overlap, the total energy of the string will be

• A. zero
• B. partly kinetic and partly potential
• C. purely kinetie
• D. purely potential

Answer 1

The correct option is C purely kinetie

When the two waves overlap.
We see that one is the image of the other about the x axis. Hence there overlap would
give a wave of amplitude zero. Since there would be no deformation in the wire. There would be no potential energy. All the energy would be kinetic.