Chapter 15, Problem 15.76P

DATA You are measuring the frequency dependence of the average power P_av transmitted by traveling waves on a wire. In your experiment you use a wire with linear mass density 3.5 g/m. For a transverse wave on the wire with amplitude 4.0 mm. you measure P_av (in watts) as a function of the frequency f of the wave (in Hz). You have chosen to plot P_av as a function of f² (Fig. F15.76). (a) Explain why values of P_av plotted versus f² should be well fit by a straight line. (b) Use the slope of the straight-line fit to the data shown in Fig P15.76 to calculate the speed of the waves. (c) What angular frequency ω would result in P_av = 10.0 W?

Figure P15.76