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randomgamernerd
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I just want to know does any random equation of the form y=f (x-vt) reppresent a wave?? If yes why?? And is this true for all cases or is there any condition?
Doesn't f(x-vt) satisfy the wave equation, where v is the wave velocity?andrewkirk said:No it doesn't. Consider the case where v=1 and f is the identity function. Then the equation is simply y = x - t, which defines a surface that is simply a tilted plane, in the 3D space with axes on x, t and y. For any location x, the graph of y vs t is simply a straight line.
To be a wave there must be periodicity, meaning that, for any point (x',y',t') on the surface, there must be many other values of t such that (x',y',t) = (x',y',t'). The periodicity is typically achieved by the function f being a trig function, usually sin or cos.
Do you have a reference for the periodicity requirement?andrewkirk said:To be a wave there must be periodicity, meaning that, for any point (x',y',t') on the surface, there must be many other values of t such that (x',y',t) = (x',y',t'). The periodicity is typically achieved by the function f being a trig function, usually sin or cos.
vanhees71 said:I'd define any solution of the wave equation to be a wave. How else should you define it?
I'm not sure I'd like the Wikipedia definition. Is a standing wave all of a sudden no wave anymore, because it doesn't transfer energy from one place to another?
Is it the case that the energy remain in the same point being confined between nodes or energy is transferred but the superposition makes the vertical displacement 0 at node.nasu said:No, it does not transfer energy from one point of the string to another point, as a traveling wave does.
Dissipation of energy is a different thing. And conversion from KE to PE does not mean transferring energy from one place to another.
That Wiki ling seem to confuse or overlap the concepts of wave and vibration (or oscillation). The vibration of a system shows both conversion between KE and PE as well as dissipation. But a vibration is not a wave.
In the end, there is no right or wrong in a definition. But it should be some consistency, both internal and with the general understanding. Otherwise communication becomes difficult.
Maybe it's not completely obvious...nasu said:What are the two definitions?
The variable "v" represents the velocity of the wave. This indicates the speed at which the wave is traveling through a medium.
The equation y=f(x-vt) represents a wave because it follows the general form of a wave function, where the displacement (y) is a function of both position (x) and time (t). This equation is commonly used to describe various types of waves, such as sound waves, light waves, and water waves.
Yes, the equation y=f(x-vt) can be used to represent a wide range of waves, including mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves. However, the specific function f(x-vt) may vary depending on the type of wave being described.
The minus sign indicates that the wave is traveling in the negative direction, or the opposite direction of the positive x-axis. This is often used to represent waves that are reflected off a barrier or traveling through a medium in the opposite direction.
The wavelength (λ) of a wave can be determined by taking the distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs of the wave. In the equation y=f(x-vt), the variable "v" represents the velocity of the wave, which is also equal to the distance traveled per unit of time. Therefore, by dividing the velocity (v) by the frequency (f), we can determine the wavelength (λ) of the wave using the equation λ = v/f.