Derivation of the wave equation.

The wave equation is derived for a very thin uniform string. the string has mass density m and is in
equilibrium under tension T.
Now we displace the string slightly from its equilibrium position. And exaggerated view of a small
(infinitesimal) segment is shown below:

The length of the segment is x D , hence its mass is:
m x m = D (0.1)
The motion of the string is in the y direction. This means that the horizontal components of the
tension
R
T and
L
T must be equal (and in opposite directions) to some constant t :

( ) ( )
cos cos
L L R R
T T q q t = = (0.2)
In the vertical direction we can write Newton's second law equation, namelyF ma = noting that
the acceleration is the second derivative of y with respect to time:

( ) ( )
2
2
sin sin
y R R L L
y
F T T m
t
q q

= - =

(0.3)

( ) ( )
sin sin
y R R L L
F T T qE q q = - =
The mass is given in equation (1.1) and we also divide equation (1.3) by t :

( ) ( )
2
2
sin sin
R R L L
T T
x y
t
q q
r
t t
-
D
=

(0.4)

( ) ( )
2
2
sin sin
R R L L
electron
T T
V
y
t
q q
r
t t
-

=

However, according to (1.2) we can write it as:

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
2
2
2
2
2
2
sin sin
sin sin
sin sin
cos cos
R R L L
R R L L
R R L L
R R L L
T T
x y
t
T T
x y
t
T T
x y
t T T
q q
r
t t
q q
r
t t t
q q
r
t q q
-
D
=

D
- =

D
- =

( ) ( )
2
2
t an t an
R L
x y
t
r
q q
t
D
- =

(0.5)

( ) ( )
2
2
t an t an
electron
R L
V
y
t
r
q q
t

- =

But the tangents of the angles are, by definition, the derivatives of y with respect to x, hence:

2
2
x x x
y y x y
x x t
r
t
+ D
D
- =

(0.6)

Dividing both sides by x D we get:

2
2
1
x x x
y y y
x x x t
r
t
+ D

- =

D

(0.7)

2
2
1
electron x x x
y y y
V x x t
r
t
+ D

- =

If we take the limit of an infinitesimal segment, 0 x D , the left hand side becomes the second
partial derivative with respect to x (by definition).
Cant get double derivative here because of
electron
V
Furthermore, when the segment is very short and the string is not far from equilibrium, the tension
t is for all practical reasons equals the original tension T.
This turns equation (1.7) into the well known one dimensional wave equation:

2 2
2 2
y y
T x t
r
=

(0.8)
Or:

2 2
2 2
T y y
T x t
r
r

=

(0.9)
The units of the constant coefficient T r are:

-2 2
-1 2
kg m s m
kg m s
T
r



= =



(0.10)
This are units of the square of a speed.
Hence we can define the wave's propagation speed:

2
T
c
r
(0.11)
And the one dimensional wave equation is:

2 2
2
2 2
y y
c
x t

=

(0.12)