A harmonic wave on a stretched string is represented by the equation y(x,t)=0.015

PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Waves · Waves

Problem

A harmonic wave on a stretched string is represented by the equation y(x,t)=0.015 m  sin⁡(40πx−200πt+π/6),y(x,t)=0.015\,\text{m}\;\sin(40\pi x-200\pi t+\pi/6), where xx and yy are in metres and tt is in seconds. (i) Explain the physical significance of each numerical coefficient appearing in the argument of the sine function. (ii) Using these coefficients, calculate the wavelength and the frequency of the wave. (iii) State, with proper reasoning, the direction in which the wave propagates along the xx-axis.

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