Chapter 6

Normal Modes of
Continuous System
The Free Vibrations of
Stretched Strings

Parameters of the string :

Length : L
Tension : T Density (Linear) : 
 y

When the string vibrates, the displacement y is

a function of both x and t
At a fixed time, y is a function of x
At a fixed x, y is a function of time
Equation of Motion:
y
T
s
 

y y  y

x x x x

Assumptions :  is uniformly small, so that

sin     tan  cos   1

 T
x   

y y  y

x x  x

Equation of motion of the small blue piece

2y
 s 2  T [ sin (   )  sin ]
t

 T [ tan (   )  tan  ]
  y   y 
tan (    )  tan       
 x  x x  x  x
Using Taylor series:


 y 
 y   2
y    3
y
      x 2   x  3   .....
2

 x  x x  x  x  x  xx  x  x x

2y
 2 x
x
2 y 2 y 2y  2y
  x 2  T x   0
t x 2
x 2
T t 2

T  2
y 1  2
y
Writing v ,
2
 2 2 0
 x 2
v t
  2 y( x , t ) 1  2 y( x , t )
 2 0
x 2
v t 2

Normal Modes of a Vibrating String

In a normal mode, every point oscillates in
a SHM of a common frequency, but
different amplitudes and phases.

y( x, t )  A( x) cos t

Boundary Conditions : y (0, t )  y ( L, t )  0

The function f ( x ) represents the distribution
of amplitude over the string.

Substituting y ( x, t ) into the equation of

motion of the string :

d 2 A( x)  2
2
 2 A( x)  0
dx v

Boundary Conditions : f (0)  f ( L)  0

General solution of A( x
: )
   
A( x)  A cos  x   B sin  x 
v  v 

Applying the boundary conditions, we get

nv
A0 &  ( n  1, 2, ........)
L

Normal Mode Vibrations :

 nx 
y n ( x, t )  B sin   cos n t
 L 
We have
nv
n   n 1
L
Where,
 T
1 
L 
 General Solution of the
Vibrating String

 nx 
y( x, t )   A n sin   cos (n t  n )
n 1  L 

Prob. 6.1 A uniform string of length 2.5 m

and mass 0.01 kg is placed under tension
10 N.

a) What is the frequency of its fundamental

mode
b) If the string is plucked and touched at a
point 0.5 m from one end, what frequencies
persist?
Only those modes will persist, that have a
node at the point touched.
Forced Oscillations of a
Vibrating String
y

h cos t
x

Equation of Motion remains unchanged :

 2 y( x , t ) 1  2 y( x , t )
 2 0
x 2
v t 2
Boundary conditions :

y( L, t )  h cos t ; y(0, t )  0

Steady state Solution : y ( x, t )  A( x) cos t

Boundary conditions on f ( x ) :
A(0)  0, A( L)  h

Substitution into equation motion leads to :

d 2 A 2
2
 2 A0
dx v
General solution for f ( x )
   
A( x)  A sin  x   B cos  x
v  v 

Boundary condition at x  0 gives :

B0

Boundary condition at x  L gives :

h
A
L
sin
v
  x   x 
h sin   h sin  
 f (x)   v 
y( x , t )   v  cos t
and
 L  sin 
 L 
sin   
 v   v 

Resonance
If the driving frequency  is such that
L
 n
v
the amplitude shoots up
In the experiment shown in the figure below,
we determine the frequency of vibration of
tuning fork(source) by making the connected
string to vibrate in different modes.
In this experiment, instead of changing the
frequency of source to make the string to
vibrate in particular mode we change the
length of the string.
In mode 1 string vibrate with the frequency of
the tuning fork(source). v
i.e. s  1 
L1
To vibrate in nth mode

n   s
v
 v  
n
 Ln  n L1
Ln L1
Where Ln is the length of the string in nth mode

So in 2nd mode L2  2 L1
in 3rd mode L3  3 L1
 Prob. 6.5 A stretched string of mass m,
length L and tension T is driven by two
sources, one at each end. The sources both
have same frequency and amplitude, but are
exactly 180 degrees out of phase. What is
the smallest driving frequency consistent
with stationary vibration of the string?

 A cos t
A cos t
Steady State Vibration :

y(x, t )  f (x) cos  t

Boundary conditions on f
f (0)  A ; f ( L)   A

Substitution into equation of motion leads to

the general solution :

 
f ( x )  B cos  x   
v 
First b.c. : B cos   A
 
Second b.c. : B cos  L      A
v 

Consistency of the two requires :

L
 , 3, 5, 7, .......
v

Thus, driving frequency must be one of the

odd normal mode frequencies