PDE Presentation

[Vibrating String]
Let us consider a stretched string of length l fixed at the end points.

Let u(x,t) denotes the position of string at time ‘t’ after an initial disturbance.

 Our aim is to find an equation which is satisfied by u(x,t).

We make the following assumptions:

1. The string is flexible and elastic, that is the string cannot resist bending moment and thus the tension in the string is
always in the direction of the tangent to the existing profile of the string.

2. There is no elongation of a single segment of the string and hence, by Hooke’s law, the tension is constant.

(Tension is a force along the length of a medium, especially a force carried by a flexible medium, such as a rope or cable.)

3. The weight of the string is small compared with the tension in the string.

4. The deflection is small compared with the length of the string.

5. The slope of the displaced string at any point is small compared with unity

6. There is only pure transverse vibration.

(Points of the string moves only vertically.)

 Under above assumptions, we define the equation of motion which characterizes u(x,t).

Consider a small element AB of the string whose length is, δs .

Let α , β be the angles made with the horizontal by the tangent to the string at A and B respectively.
(Let T be the tension at the points A and B.)

Now, the force acting on the element of the string in the vertical direction will give the resultant force :

T sin β – T sin α [because of opposite direction]

By Newton’s Second Law of Motion,

[F = ma]

T sin β – T sin α = ρδs utt (1)

where ρ is the line density ( ρ=m/l ).
Since, the slope of the displaced string is small (by assumption), we have

δ s≈ δ x
Also, since the angles α , β are small,
sinα ≈ tan α

and sin β ≈ tan β

Therefore, equation (1) becomes

T tan β – T tan α = ρδs utt (2)

ρδs utt
tan β– tan α =
T
We know, tan α = u x ( x ,t ) : slope of the tangent to the string at A

tan β = u x ( x+ δx ,t ) : slope of the tangent at time t.

Hence, eqn (2) gives

ux ( x +δx , t) ρu
−u x ( x ,t )= tt
δx T
Taking limits δx → 0 on both sides,

ρu tt
u xx=¿
T
Or

T u xx
utt =
ρ
2 2 T
We get, utt =c u xx , where c = .
ρ
This is called the one-dimensional wave equation.

 If there is an external force f per unit length acting on the string assumes the form:

2 f
utt =c u xx + F , F= ,
ρ
where f may be pressure, gravitation, resistance and so on.