Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
The part of a violin string that vibrates is long, and each metre of it has a mass of . It is tuned to give a fundamental of . Find the speed of waves on the string, the tension it needs, and the frequency of its second harmonic.
A standing wave has nodes and antinodes, each apart. A string tied at both ends has the normal modes , with for the tension and the mass of each metre .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Wavelength and speed. . So .
Step 2. Tension. . We want , so .
Step 3. Second harmonic. .
Answer: , and . A tension of about is the weight of about . That is why a violin needs a strong body.
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