A guitar string that normally vibrates with a fundamental frequency of 110 Hz is also capable of vibrating at 330 Hz. When that higher frequency vibration occurs, the string is vibrating
A) with only one third of its normal mass.
B) with only one third of its normal amplitude of oscillation.
C) as 3 strings that are one third as long as the overall string.
D) with only one third of its normal tension.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The higher frequency vibration at 330 Hz, which is three times the fundamental frequency of 110 Hz, indicates that the string is vibrating in a mode where it behaves as if it were divided into three equal segments, each segment vibrating as if it were a shorter string. This is a harmonic mode of vibration, specifically the third harmonic, where the wavelength of the vibration is one-third the length of the string, effectively creating nodes and antinodes along the string's length.

A Guitar String That Normally Vibrates with a Fundamental Frequency