Transverse waves

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

Transverse vibrations in strings

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

Horizontal components of forces

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

Vertical components of forces

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020
 = mass per
unit length

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

Solution to the Wave Equation

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

 Wave equation

or
will satisfy the above equation

General Solution

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

We have -

and

Similarly-

and

Thus, y is the solution of wave equation -

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020

 Physical significance of y = f(ct+x)

“y” is the simple harmonic displacement of an oscillator at

position “x” and time “t”, thus it can be expressed as -

The bracket (ct -x) in the expression has

the dimension of length and for the function to be a sine or
cosine, its argument must have the dimensions of radians, so –

is a solution of the wave equation where

𝜈 is the oscillation frequency and

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020
The locus of oscillator displacements in a continuous medium at
some fixed time (like a photograph)
displacement (y)

𝜆 is the distance (in x) between any two oscillators having a

phase difference of 2𝜋 radians
IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020
The locus of oscillator displacements in a continuous medium at
some fixed position as a function of time
displacement (y)

𝑇 is the time interval after which the oscillator undergoes a

2π
phase difference of 2𝜋 radians (𝜔 = )
IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020 𝑇
Significance of y = f(ct+x)

wave moving to the left

y

t
Equivalent expressions which are equally valid

Here is the wave-number

IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020
For disturbance propagating in all directions

 2
   2 2 2
 2 2 2
x 2
x y z
 2
(Laplacian operator)

1  2
  (r , t)  2 2
2

cs t
IIT KGP PH11001 Spring 2020