Waves, Sound and Light: Sound and Music

Sound and Music: Audio Guided Solutions

Problem 18:

A steel piano wire is 72.9 cm long and has a mass of 4.54 x 10-3 kg. The fundamental frequency of the wire is 262 Hz, corresponding to the frequency of middle C on the musical scales. Determine the tension to which the wire is pulled in order to vibrate with this frequency.

Audio Guided Solution

Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities and record in an organized manner, often times they can be recorded on the diagram itself. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity (e.g., v = 345 m/s, λ = 1.28 m, f = ???).
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Sound and Music at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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