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Worked Examples · Example 6.1

Q.A string is fixed at both ends. What is the ratio of the frequency of the first harmonic to that of the second harmonic?

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✓ Free question

λ = 2l (first), λ₁ = l (second); n/n₁ = λ₁/λ = l/2l = 1/2.

For a string of length l fixed at both ends, the wavelengths of the first and second harmonics are l = λ/2 and l = λ₁, i.e. λ = 2l and λ₁ = l. Since frequency = v/λ,

nn1=v/λv/λ1=λ1λ=l2l=12\frac{n}{n_1} = \frac{v/\lambda}{v/\lambda_1} = \frac{\lambda_1}{\lambda} = \frac{l}{2l} = \frac{1}{2}

✓Final answer

n : n₁ = 1 : 2, i.e. the ratio is 1/2.

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