Wave Function

The disturbance created by a wave is represented by a wave function. For a string, the wave
function is a (vector) displacement; whereas for sound waves, it is a (scalar) pressure or density
fluctuation. In the case of light or radio waves, the wave function is either an electric or
magnetic field vector.

How to express a wave function mathematically?

Let us look at the pulse from two different
reference frames. The XY frame is stationary
whereas the X Y frame moves with the velocity
of the pulse as shown in the Fig.(4).
We assume that the origins coincided at
t = 0. In the moving frame the pulse is at rest, so at
any time the vertical displacement y at position
x is given by some function f(x) that describes the
shape of the pulse:

In the stationary frame, the pulse has the same shape but is moving at a velocity v which means
that the displacement y is a function of both x and t.
The coordinates of the pulse as measured in the two frames are related as:

Thus the equation (1) may be modified as

y = f(x vt)

(2)

Any given feature (phase) of the pulse, for example, its peak, has a fixed value of x, which
means
x = x vt = constant

The quantity (x vt) is called the phase of the wave function.

Differentiating w.r.t. time, we get

where v is the wave velocity or phase velocity.

It is the velocity at which a particular phase of the disturbance travels through space.
If the wave is travelling along the negative x axis, the wave function is represented by
y = f(x + vt)

(3)

In general, the wave motion in one dimension is given by

y = f(x vt)

(4)

IMPORTANT
In order for the function to represent a wave travelling at speed v, the three quantities x, v and t
must appear in the combinations (x + vt) or (x vt). Thus, (x- vt)2 is acceptable, but
(x2 v2t2) is not.

Illustration1
The wave function of a pulse is given by

the

Determine the wave velocity of the pulse and indicate the direction of propagation of
wave.

Solution
On comparing the given expression with y = f(x vt), we get the velocity of the wave:
v = 4m/s and, the wave propagates along the positive x axis.