Past exam of the physics A course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / Paper 2 / Section B / B9 / e / i / Solution

Place the join at $x=0$, with an incident wave travelling from medium 1 towards medium 2. WriteContinuity of displacement and slope gives $A+B=C$ and $k_1(A-B)=k_{2}C$. Hence reflection at a density step on a string givesFor $\boxed{{\rho }_2>{\rho }_1}$, $r<0$: the reflected transverse displacement has a phase reversal of $\pi$. For ${\rho }_2<{\rho }_1$, $r>0$ and there is no displacement-phase reversal. The transmitted displacement has no phase reversal for positive real mechanical impedances.