1 Ecuacion de La Onda
1 Ecuacion de La Onda
1 Ecuacion de La Onda
In these notes we apply Newtons law to an elastic string, concluding that small
amplitude transverse vibrations of the string obey the wave equation. Consider a tiny
element of the string.
T (x + x, t)
(x + x, t)
u
(x, t)
x
T (x, t) u(x, t)
x
The basic notation is
u(x, t) = vertical displacement of the string from the x axis at position x and time t
(x, t) = angle between the string and a horizontal line at position x and time t
T (x, t) = tension in the string at position x and time t
(x) = mass density of the string at position x
The forces acting on the tiny element of string at time t are
(a) tension pulling to the right, which has magnitude T (x + x, t) and acts at an angle
(x + x, t) above horizontal
(b) tension pulling to the left, which has magnitude T (x, t) and acts at an angle (x, t)
below horizontal and, possibly,
(c) various external forces, like gravity. We shall assume that all of the external forces act
vertically and we shall denote by F (x, t)x the net magnitude of the external force
acting on the element of string.
The mass of the element of string is essentially (x) x2 + u2 so the vertical component
of Newtons law says that
2
p
(x) x2 + u2 tu2 (x, t) = T (x + x, t) sin (x + x, t) T (x, t) sin (x, t) + F (x, t)x
c Joel Feldman. 2007. All rights reserved. December 17, 2007 Derivation of the Wave Equation 1
We can dispose of all the s by observing from the figure above that
u u
tan (x, t) = lim = (x, t)
x0 x x
c Joel Feldman. 2007. All rights reserved. December 17, 2007 Derivation of the Wave Equation 2