Determine the length of guitar string required to produce a fundamental frequency (1st

harmonic) of 300 Hz. The speed of waves in a particular guitar string is known to be 50 m/s.

The length of the guitar string required to produce

a fundamental frequency of 300 Hz is approximately 0.0835
m.
To determine the length of the guitar string required to
produce a fundamental frequency of 300 Hz, we need to use
the formula for the speed of waves in a string:

v = fλ

Where v is the speed of waves in the string, f is

the frequency, and λ is the wavelength.

We know that the speed of waves in the particular guitar string

is 405 m/s and we want to produce a fundamental frequency of
300 Hz. To find the wavelength, we rearrange the formula as:

λ = v/f

λ = 50/300

λ = 0.16666666666666666666666666666667 m
λ = 0.167

Now that we know the wavelength, we can find the length of

the string required to produce this frequency using the
formula:

L = n(λ/2)

Where L is the length of the string, n is the number of half-

wavelengths that fit in the string, and λ is the wavelength.

Since we want to produce the fundamental frequency (1st

harmonic), n = 1. Therefore:

L = (1)( 0.167/2)

L = 0.0835 m

So, the length of the guitar string required is approximately

0.0835 meters.
A guitar string with a length of 75.0 cm is plucked. The speed of a wave in the string is 400
m/sec. Calculate the frequency of the first, second, and third harmonics.

Answers: f1 = 250 Hz; f2 = 500 Hz; f3 = 750 Hz

Given: L = 75.0 m

v = 400 m/s

The strategy for solving for the frequencies of the first three harmonics will be to first
find the frequency of the first harmonic. The frequencies of other harmonics are
multiples of the first harmonic. The frequency of the first harmonic can be calculated
from the given speed value and the wavelength. The wavelength is not given but can be
calculated from the length of the string. For the first harmonic, the wavelength is twice
the length of the string.

Let λ = wavelength.

λ = 2• L = 2 • (75.0 m) = 150 m

Now rearrange the wave equation v = f • λ to solve for frequency.

f1 = v / λ = (400 m/s) / (150 m) = 2.6 Hz

The frequencies of the various harmonics are whole-number multiples of the frequency
of the first harmonic. Each harmonic frequency (fn) is given by the equation fn = n •
f1 where n is the harmonic number and f1 is the frequency of the first harmonic.

f2= 2 x f1

f2= 2 x 2.6 hz = 5.2

Second harmonic: f2 = 5.2 Hz

f3= 3 x f1

f3= 3 x 2.6 hz = 7.8

Third harmonic: f3 = 7.8 Hz

2. A pitch of Middle D (first harmonic = 294 Hz) is sounded out by a vibrating guitar string. The
length of the string is 70.0 cm. Calculate the speed of the standing wave in the guitar string.

3. A frequency of the first harmonic is 587 Hz (pitch of D5) is sounded out by a vibrating guitar
string. The speed of the wave is 600 m/sec. Find the length of the string.