Chapter 5

The Wave Equation in One Dimension

We concentrate on the wave equation:
utt = c2 u xx
2nd order in t so vibrations, not decay. Also need two initial conditions, u( x, 0), ut ( x, 0).
Dimensions of c ? Take dimensions of the PDE:

[u]
[u]
= [ c2 ] 2
2
[t ]
[x ]
so that [c2 ] = [c]2 = length2 /time2 or [c] = LT 1 . I.e. c has dimensions of speed (e.g.
metres per second). It is the wave speed.
Weve already looked at the wave equation on bounded domains sep. of vars. Could use
F.T.s for infinite domains (see Problems sheets)... better way:

5.1

dAlemberts Solution

Weve already seen (in Problem sheets) that

u( x, t) = f ( x ct) + g( x + ct)
is the general solution of utt = c2 u xx . Why ? Differentiate twice w.r.t. x to get
u xx = f ( x ct) + g ( x ct) and twice w.r.t. t to get utt = c2 f ( x ct) + c2 g ( x ct).
Now suppose we are given
u( x, 0) = ( x ),

ut ( x, 0) = ( x )

Then from gen. soln. we have

f ( x ) + g ( x ) = ( x ),

c f ( x ) + cg ( x ) = ( x )

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5.1. DALEMBERTS SOLUTION

Take the last equation and integrate up w.r.t. x to get
1
f ( x ) g( x ) =
c

Z x
a

( )d

where a plays the role of the integration constant. We can now eliminate f ( x ) and g( x ) in
turn to get


Z
1
1 x
f (x) =
( x )
( )d
2
c a
and



Z
1 x
1
( )d
( x ) +
g( x ) =
2
c a

Then our solution is u( x, t) = f ( x ct) + g( x + ct) which gives


Z x+ct
Z a
1
1
( )d +
( )d
u( x, t) =
[( x ct) + ( x + ct)] +
2
2c a
x ct
Z
1 x+ct
1
( )d
=
[( x ct) + ( x + ct)] +
2
2c xct
This is dAlemberts solution, the general solution for any I.C.s. Doesnt include B.Cs in
x - applies as it stands to an infinite domain.
Example 1. u( x, 0) = ( x )

1 for < x <

,
0 for otherwise

and ut ( x, 0) = 0.
Since 0, the integral vanishes and so
u( x, t) = 21 ( x ct) + 12 ( x + ct)
This equation tells you that the initial fn. splits into two halves, each of height
move apart in opposite directions with speed c.

1
2

which

Rule: Blue = Green + Red

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5.2. REFLECTION OF WAVES

Example 2. u( x, 0) 0, ut ( x, 0) = ( x ).
In this case 0, and so
u( x, t) =

Now consider the function: ( x ) =

1
2c

Z x+ct
x ct

( ) d

1 for | x | < a
.
0 for | x | > a

This corresponds to an initial impulse or hammer blow to the string across the range
| x | < a.
The best way to approach this is as follows. Let

0
for x < a
( a + x )/2c for a < x < a
( x ) =
( ) d =

2c
(2a)/2c for x > a
Z
1 x

which we can establish by careful consideration of the integral.

Then it is clear that
u( x, t) = ( x + ct) ( x ct)

Need pictures to see how this wave evolves. Two linear ramps, the green one moves to the
left with increasing time at a speed c and represents the first term above and the red one
goes right with speed c. The solution (blue) is the value of the red line subtracted from the
value of the green line.

Rule: Blue = GreenRed

5.2

Reflection of Waves

Consider utt = c2 u xx for x > 0 with the B.C. at x = 0 given by u(0, t) = 0 t.

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5.2. REFLECTION OF WAVES

I.Cs are u( x, 0) = ( x ), ut ( x, 0) = ( x ), for x > 0.
Gen. Soln. is u( x, t) = f ( x ct) + g( x + ct).
Try the trick: let o ( x ), o ( x ) be the odd extensions of ( x ) and ( x ) into x < 0. Now we
have a problem for all x using o and o and we can use DAlemberts solution:

u( x, t) =

1
2 [ o ( x

1
ct) + o ( x + ct)] +
2c

Z x+ct
x ct

o ( ) d

It satisfies the PDE and the IC. What about the B.C? Plug in and see
R ct
1
u(0, t) = 12 [o (ct) + o (ct)] + 2c
ct 0 ( ) d = 0
after using the oddness of the functions. This is as required.
So the boxed eqn. above is the soln. of our problem.
Example: ( x ) =

1 for 1 < x < 2

, ( x ) 0. Take the odd extension of ,

0 for 0 < x < 1 or x > 2
the first graph on the left below. Then u = 21 [o ( x ct) + o ( x + ct)]

The series of pictures are increasing in time. The pictures show the two separate parts of u
(red and green) and the blue line is the sum of those two parts. It can be seen that the
reflection at the wall flips the wave over and reflects it back towards the right.

Signal splits

Signal reflected
and negative

Rule: Blue = Green + Red

c
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5.3. WAVE REFLECTION AND TRANSMISSION AT INTERFACES

5.3

Wave reflection and transmission at interfaces

More interesting effects can happen when a boundary is not perfectly reflecting, as above
E.g.: Two semi-infinite strings of different densities are joined at x = 0. So
utt = c21 u xx ,

utt = c22 u xx ,

x < 0,

x > 0,

with B.C.s that u, u x are both continuous at x = 0. A wave of known form u = f ( x c1 t)

(so f is given) is incoming on x = 0 from x = .
Input wave

Reflected
wave

c1

Transmitted wave

displacement and
gradient continuous

The general solution satisfying the wave equation in x < 0 is

u( x, t) = f ( x c1 t) + g( x + c1 t) ,
| {z } | {z }
input wave

and in x > 0

re f lected wave

u( x, t) = h( x c2 t)
| {z }

transmitted wave

Now we apply

u ( 0 , t )

u ( 0+ , t ) :

f (c1 t) + g(c1 t) = h(c2 t)

and u x (0 , t) = u x (0+ , t):

f (c1 t) + g (c1 t) = h (c2 t)

Integrate up the last equation w.r.t. t to get

1
1
1
f (c1 t) + g(c1 t) = h(c2 t) + A
c1
c1
c2

where A is a constant, which we can set to zero (by assuming f (s), g(s), h(s) 0 as
s .)
Eliminating g first, we get
2 f (c1 t) = h(c2 t)(1 + c1 /c2 )
and letting s = c2 t and = c1 /c2 gives
h(s) =

2 f (s)
(1 + )

Similarly, eliminate h (check) to get



1
f (c1 t),
or, letting s = c1 t now,
g ( c1 t ) =
1+

g(s) =

1
1+

f (s),

Special cases: = 1 implies total transmission, implies total reflection.

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5.4. UNIDIRECTIONAL WAVES

5.4

Unidirectional Waves

utt c2 u xx = 0 has general solution u = f ( x ct) + g( x + ct). Can factorise the wave eqn.
as




+c
c
u=0
t
x
t
x
It follows that either

or

+c
t
x

u = ut + cu x = 0

c
t
x

u = ut cu x = 0

In the first case, the solution is u = f ( x ct) (wave travelling to the right) and in the
second case u = g( x + ct) (to the left).

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of Bristol 2012. This material is copyright of the University unless explicitly stated otherwise. It is provided
exclusively for educational purposes at the University and is to be downloaded or copied for your private study only.