A guitar string with a tension of 150 N is played together with a tuning fork whose frequency is 256 Hz, and beats of 2 Hz are heard. Assuming the guitar string is higher in frequency than the tuning fork, to what new tension should the guitar string be adjusted for the string and tuning fork to have the same frequency?
A) 148 N
B) 149 N
C) 151 N
D) 152 N
E) The length of the string must be given in order to solve this problem.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frequency of the guitar string is 258 Hz (256 Hz + 2 Hz). To lower the frequency to 256 Hz, the tension must be decreased. The frequency is proportional to the square root of the tension, so reducing the tension slightly will lower the frequency to match the tuning fork.

A Guitar String with a Tension of 150 N Is