A 3m slinky rests on a table with a student holding each end. The students laterally shake the ends of the slinky to generate transverse waves. The student on the left shakes the slinky at 4 hertz with a 5cm amplitude and the student on the right shakes it at 3 hertz with a 7cm amplitude.
What is the maximum deflection of the string, from its resting position, between the students in cm?
The maximum deflection of the string can be found by adding the amplitudes of the two wave sources.
Maximum deflection = Amplitude1 + Amplitude2
Max deflection = 5cm + 7cm
Max deflection = 12cm
Therefore, the maximum deflection of the string, from its resting position, between the students is 12cm.