Question

If a guitar string is 0.5 m long, what is the wavelength of its third harmonic?

• A. 0.25 m
• B. 0.33 m
• C. 0.5 m
• D. 1 m

Hint:

The wavelength of the $n$-th harmonic is inversely proportional to the harmonic number.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

For a guitar string, the wavelength of the $n$-th harmonic is given by: \[ \lambda_n = \frac{2L}{n} \] where: $L = 0.5 \, \text{m}$ is the length of the string, and $n = 3$ is the harmonic number. Substituting the values: \[ \lambda_3 = \frac{2 \times 0.5}{3} = 0.33 \, \text{m} \]