v = sqrt(F/mu)
Don't forget k = wave number .
2 * pi k = ----------- wavelength
So, if we have a wave written in the standard form
sin (kx - ωt)then the wave speed will be
ω v = --- k
Challenge Problem: An earthquake hits Los Angeles! A wave ripples down the LA Freeway at a speed of 150 mph, with crests 60 m apart. Motorists caught by the quake are shaken up and down inside their cars violently. The road moves so quickly that, after pushing cars up to a peak height at a crest, the asphalt almost leaves the tires behind as they fall into a trough.
Write an equation for this wave of the form
y(x, t) = A * sin ( k*x - omega*t )but provide the numerical values for all constants, in standard SI units.
Now is a good time for physlets ....
A piano wire is made of steel, with a diameter of 1.04 mm. The wire is stretched inside the piano to a tension of 400 N. Q: How fast do vibrations travel down this wire? Q: This particular wire is 1.2 m long. How long does it take a wave to travel from one end to the other? Q: Can you guess the note this wire will produce?