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Question
Given below are some functions of x and t to represent the displacement (transverse or longitudinal) of an elastic wave. State which of these represent (i) a traveling wave, (ii) a stationary wave or (iii) none at all:
y = cos x sin t + cos 2x sin 2t
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Solution
The given equation represents a stationary wave because the harmonic terms kxand ωt appear separately in the equation. This equation actually represents the superposition of two stationary waves.
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