In standing waves formed on a stretched string fixed at both ends, what is the distance between two consecutive displacement nodes?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Half a wavelength (lambda / 2)
- Step 1: A standing wave consists of alternating nodes and antinodes.
- Step 2: The distance between consecutive nodes (or consecutive antinodes) is exactly lambda / 2.
- Step 3: The distance between a node and adjacent antinode is lambda / 4.
Answer
Half a wavelength (lambda / 2).
Why not the others: 'One full wavelength (lambda)' is the distance between every second node; 'A quarter wavelength (lambda / 4)' is the node-to-antinode spacing; 'Two wavelengths (2 * lambda)' spans four consecutive node segments.
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