Vibrational modes of a discrete particle string

In summary, the conversation discusses the normal modes of a vibrating system of particles with discrete spacing. The lowest and highest frequency modes of standing waves are described, with a drawing to illustrate the maximum frequency mode where no particles are permitted to move. The conversation then mentions the equations describing the vibrations of the particles and how they correspond to different modes. The question about taking a specific value for k is posed, and the conversation ends with a comparison to standing waves on a string and a reference to a picture on Wikipedia for a better understanding of the concept.
  • #1
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I just want to make sure I understand the normal modes of a vibrating system of particles with discrete spacing. I have tried to drawn what I understand as the lowest and highest frequency mode of the standing waves. Is the drawing correct? Edit: actually I have drawn the maximum frequency where no particles are permitted to move..
The system is 4 particles and for standing waves their vibrations are described by:
y(s) = sin(sKa) with a time dependence and where s refers to particle number s and a is the particle spacing.
Now with y(0)=y(4) you have the modes:
k=[itex]\pi[/itex]/4a, [itex]2\pi[/itex]/4a, k=[itex]3\pi[/itex]/4a
The last one corresponds to no movement of any particle. Is this correctly understood? What happens if we take for instance k=[itex]5\pi[/itex]/4a. Does this mode simply reproduce the motion of k=[itex]\pi[/itex]/4a?
 

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  • #2
I'm not sure that I understand your question exactly. If you are just trying to understand how standing waves work then it is easier to think of just 2 points which are the ends of a "string". The string must always be anchored to these two points, so the minimum energy mode is a half wave. There is no maximum frequency in the simplest models. The more vigorously you shake the string, the greater the frequency of the standing waves.

Have a look at this picture from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Harmonic_partials_on_strings.svg
 
  • #3
It is standing waves but not on a string, rather for a system of particles with a discrete spacing. Like when you examine vibrations of atomic planes.
 

Related to Vibrational modes of a discrete particle string

1. What are vibrational modes of a discrete particle string?

Vibrational modes of a discrete particle string refer to the different patterns of motion that a string of particles can exhibit when it is disturbed from its equilibrium position. These modes are determined by the physical properties of the string, such as its tension, length, and mass, and can be visualized as standing waves.

2. How many vibrational modes does a discrete particle string have?

The number of vibrational modes of a discrete particle string depends on the number of particles in the string. For a string with N particles, there are N-1 possible vibrational modes. This means that a string with 5 particles would have 4 vibrational modes, while a string with 10 particles would have 9 vibrational modes.

3. How do vibrational modes affect the behavior of a discrete particle string?

The vibrational modes of a discrete particle string determine its natural frequencies of oscillation. This means that when the string is disturbed, it will vibrate at these specific frequencies. The amplitude and shape of the vibration will depend on the initial disturbance and the properties of the string.

4. How are vibrational modes of a discrete particle string calculated?

The vibrational modes of a discrete particle string can be calculated using mathematical equations, such as the wave equation or the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation. These equations take into account the physical properties of the string and can determine the natural frequencies and corresponding vibrational modes.

5. Can different materials produce different vibrational modes in a discrete particle string?

Yes, the material properties of a string, such as its density and stiffness, can affect the vibrational modes. For example, a string made of a denser material will have a higher natural frequency and shorter wavelength compared to a string made of a less dense material. This means that different materials can produce different vibrational modes in a discrete particle string.

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