DISTRIBUTED

PARAMETER SYSTEM
(ECX5241)
Assignment # 2

S.P.R. Weerasooriya
Reg.No. 70366105
 The Vibrating String

The string in equilibrium

Assumptions………
* Vibrating string has a uniform density μ
(mass/unit length).
*There will be no force due to gravity.
*The displacement in the horizontal direction is
significantly small. So we can ignore the
horizontal components of tension.
*The motion takes place entirely in one plan, and
in this plan each practical moves at rite angles to
the equilibrium position of the string.
*The deflection of the string during the motion is
so small that the resulting change in length of
the string has no effect on the tension T.
*The string is perfectly flexible i.e. can transmit
force only the direction of its length.
The slope of the deflection curve of the string is
at all points and at all times so small that with
satisfactory accuracy sine can be replaced by
tan ,where is the inclination angle of the tangent
to the deflection curve.

Derivation of the differential equation

X and U components of the tension acting on the
string as follows
 F  T cos  T cos ----------(1)
X 2 1

 F  T sin   T sin 
U ---------(2)
2 1

When  and  are very small

1
2

then cos  cos

1 2

sin   tan 
1 1 and sin   tan 2 2

 F  T tan   T tan  ------(3)

U 2 1

Let us get U   = the displacement function

X ,t
By using Newton’s second law we can write …
u 2

 F  ma  m ------(4)
t
U U 2

If we assume that d S  d X and m  d X

Then combining eq. (3) & (4) obtain (5)

u 2

d  T tan   T tan 
-----(5)
t
X 2 2 1

u  u 
But tan   hence T tan   T   -----(6)
x  x 
 u   u 
 F  T tan   T tan   T    T  
 x   x 
U 2 1
B A
Let using Taylor series expansion we can write
 u   u    u  1 u
2 3

       d    d   ....
2

 x   x   x  2  x 
2 x 3 X
B A A

The third term has a x in it which is

2

significantly small hence

 u   u 
T tan   T tan   T    T  
 x   x 
2 1
B A

u 2
 u    u  
2
 u 
d  T     dx  ...  T  
t  x   x    x 
X 2 2 2
A ` A

Lets divide both sides by d X

So we can write  u T  u
2 2

   dx
t   x 
2 2
A`

T
If we get a  2
then we can write …

u
2
u 2

a 2
--------(A)
t 2
x 2

Equation (A) is the Wave equation, which is the

partial differential equation that models the
motion of a vibrating equation.
u
2
u 1 2 External force effect on
a  f  x, y, y, t  the wave equation
2

t 2
x  2
*It’s clear that these kind of processes are all
examples of wave motion.
*So these entities are governed by the wave equation.
Where as;
C : constant having dimensions of velocity
t : time
x,y,z : co-ordinates of a certain frame
u : entity under consideration
Derivation of mechanical waves from
wave equation…
*The mass of element is proportional to some intrinsic
inertial property of the medium.
#Sound waves inertial factor is mass density
#Waves on a string it is mass per unit length

*If u denotes the displacement of element from

equilibrium,
acceleration = u
t
 Sound
Equation that describes sound in matter
u = 1 u
x2 C2 t2

Where;

C = k  – density
k – compressibility
 Electromagnetism
*Equation that describes electric & magnetic
waves:
B = 1 
t2 C2 z2
*Where; C = - permeability
permittivity
*They are physical situations which are produced at
one point of space,propagated through space,& felt
later on another point.

*Energy is propagated with a finite velocity to distant

points, & the wave disturbance travels through the
medium that supports it without giving the medium
any permanent displacement.
THE END
Thank you