A closed organ pipe produces
- A. all harmonics
- B. only even harmonics
- C. only odd harmonics
- D. no harmonics at all
Explanation
The node and antinode boundary conditions can only be satisfied by odd multiples of the fundamental, so a closed pipe gives the first, third, fifth and so on. An open pipe supports every harmonic, which is why it sounds richer. This difference in harmonic content is a large part of why a clarinet and a flute have such different tone.