Chapter 6

Normal Modes of Continuous

System

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

Normal modes for N-bead system : N is very large

 pn   n 
We found : y pn  t   C pn sin   cos nt and n  20 sin  
 N 1   2  N  1 
 n  n T n n Tl
When N is very large, sin      
 2  N  1  2  N  1 n
ml  N  1  N  1 l m

n T π T n T n π T
  ωn =n. ;Now,ω1=20  2. . =.
 N  1 l ml L μ 2  N  1 ml 2  N  1 L μ
π T
 ωn =n. =n.ω1  Normal freq. are integer multiple of the lowest frequency 1.
L μ

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

Normal modes for N is very large

pn  x l  n nx nx

If ' x p ' is the position of p th particle, then, x  pl.   ;
N 1 N  1  N  1 l L
 pn   nx 
 y pn  Apn cos nt  Cn sin   cos  t  y  x , t   A sin   cos nt
 N 1 
n n n
 L 
In this system, if n  N  highest normal mode  and if N is very large keeping L fixed:
 N     
N  20 sin    20 sin    20 sin    N  20
 2  N  1   2 1  1 N    2

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

 The Free Vibrations of Stretched Strings

Parameters of the string :

Length : L; Tension T and Linear mass density : 

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

 Equation of Motion:

Assumptions : The tension in the

string is T everywhere. For small
linear displacement of the string ,
 is small. So,sin    and cos   1
For , two very closely spaced points,
 variation is also small.
With reference to the figure, resul tan t vertical force acting
on the element P1 P2 is :
   
Fy  T sin       T sin   2T sin   cos   2T . .1  T .
 2  2
With reference to the figure, resultant horizontal force acting
on the element P1 P2 is :
Fx  T cos       T cos Prof.
 0Debashis Bandyopadhyay
Equation of Motion:
Since  is very small, so, one can take
sin   tan . With reference to the
y  2
y
figure : tan    sec .   2 x
2
x x
2 y
   2 x, For small , sec 2   1.
x
Resultant force acting on the element along the vertical direction :
2 y 2 y
Fy  T ; T    x  ; Now, T   T . x
t 2
x 2

2 y 2 y 2 y
 2 y 1 2 y
 T . 2 x   x  2  2   2 2
x t x T t 2
 t
2 y 1 2 y
So, wave equation in a streatched string : 
Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay x 2
2 t 2
Normal Modes of a Vibrating String
In a normal mode, every point oscillates in a SHM with a
common frequency, having different amplitudes, which is a
function of its position x and with a time displacement of the
form cost.

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

Normal Modes of a Vibrating String
Thus, the functional form of the displacement along y is :
y ( x, t )  f ( x) cos t.
 y
2
 f
2
1  y 2

2
  cos t and  f  x  cos t
x x
2 2
 t  2 2 2

Put these in the differential wave equation we have :

2 f 2 f 2
cos t  2 f  x  cos t   f  x
x 2
x  2 2

So, acceptable solution of the above equation must

 x 
be in the form : f  x   A sin  
  
Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay
 Normal Modes of a Vibrating String: Boundary conditions
Since displacement is always zero at x  L
( fixed point on the right side)
 L  L
 f  L   A sin  0  n
   

n n n T
  n   n 
L L L 

n n T
 2 n   n  where, n  1, 2, 3....positive integers
L 2L 

 2L
Corresponding  n  
n n
Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay
Normal Modes of a Vibrating String: Boundary conditions

 n x   nx 
So, f  x   An sin    An sin  
    L 
 nx 
So, complete solution is : yn  x, t   An sin   cos n t
 L 
So, the amplitude of a point at x in n normal mode vibration is
 nx 
An sin   which is in for form of sin wave. However , the
 L 
displacement at time t is yn  x, t 

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay

 Pictorial representation of different modes
n T  2L 1
Mode frequency :  n   n1; Correspondina wavelength :  n   
2L  n n n
where, n  1,2,3... positive intergers

Prof. Debashis Bandyopadhyay