Homework Help: Physics

Posted by Bruce on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 3:47pm.

A particular steel guitar string has mass per unit length of 1.79 g/m. and tension of 61.9 N. For the wave speed to be increased by 1.9%, how much should the tension be changed?

I tried increasing the wave speed (186 m/s) by 1.9%, plug that into v=sqrt(T/linear mass density), solve for T, and then take the ratio of it and the initial tension, but it is still not correct. It is probably something simple that i am over looking, but im stuck on it. Thank you!

Physics - drwls, Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 4:04pm
Wave speed is proportional to the square root of tension. To increase it by a factor of 1.019, the tension must increase by a factor 1.019^2. That makes the new tension 61.9* 1.0384 = 64.3 N

You don't need to use the string mass per unit length. It does not change. You also don't need to compute the wave speed. Adding extra steps just increases the chances of making an error.

Answer this Question

Related Questions

Physics - A guitar string, destined to be an upper E string, has length 100 cm ...
Physics - SEQUENCE of questions: 1)A typical steel B-string in a guitar ...
physical - You are playing a note that has a fundamental frequency of 466.16 Hz ...
physics - When a player's finger presses a guitar string down onto a fret, ...
Physics- PLEASE HELP - A 60.00 cm guitar string under a tension of 46.000 N has ...
Physics- PLEASE HELP - A 60.00 cm guitar string under a tension of 46.000 N has ...
Physics- Elena please help! - A 60.00 cm guitar string under a tension of 46.000...
Physics- Someone Please Help!!! - A 60.00 cm guitar string under a tension of 46...
PHYSICS PLEASE HELP - This question has two parts: First: A typical steel B-...
Physics - The guitar is a musical instrument of the chordophone family, being a ...

For Further Reading

First Name:
School Subject:
Answer: