Propagation of an elastic wave along a semi-infinite string
created by an oscillator attached to the free edge of the string

Kostas Papamichalis Dr. of Theoretical Physics

To download the pdf file where the theoretical model of the application and related activities are developed, click here:
Mechanical radiation on an elastic string

At the free edge of a semi-infinite elastic string is attached the particle of an oscillator. The oscillator is consisted by a particle of mass m=1mUnit and a spring of constant k controled by the user. The string is stretched by a constant force F.
The disturbance created by the oscillator at the edge of the string moves along the string as an elastic wave. The energy of the oscillator is gradually transfered to the wave; as a result, the motion of the particle is a damped oscillation.

In the environment of the simulation, the wave-velocity c along the string is held constant: c=20velUnit. The force straining the string, the frequancy of the oscillator and the damping constant b of the oscillation are determined by the spring constant k, and the linear mass density sDens of the string, which are controled by the user.

The user can move the reddish vertical ruler along the string, by dragging it or by setting its x-position in the corresponding text field, in order to watch the motion of any specific particle of the string.
By double-click on the window of the virtual environment, you can run the simulation; by single-click, the simulation is paused.

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