1. Tardigrade
  2. Question
  3. Physics
  4. Assertion: When two vibrating tuning forks having frequencies 256 Hz and 512 Hz are held near each other, beats cannot be heared. Reason: The principle of superposition is valid only if the frequencies of the oscillators are nearly equal.

Question Error Report

Thank you for reporting, we will resolve it shortly

Back to Question

Q. Assertion: When two vibrating tuning forks having frequencies $256\, Hz$ and $512\, Hz$ are held near each other, beats cannot be heared.
Reason: The principle of superposition is valid only if the frequencies of the oscillators are nearly equal.

AIIMSAIIMS 1994Waves

Solution:

The principle of superposition does not state that the frequencies of the oscillation should be nearly equal. And for beats to be heard the condition is that the difference in frequencies of the two oscillations be not more than $16$ times per sec for a normal human ear to recognise it. Hence we cannot hear beats in the case of two tuning forks vibrating at frequencies $256 \,Hz$ and $512\, Hz$ respectively.