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yngstr
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Homework Statement
Find the potential energy density of a hanging string of mass density m/L that has been displaced from equilibrium at a point a distance d up from the bottom of the string. This point is displaced a distance X in the x direction, and a distance Y in the y direction. The string cannot be stretched.
The Attempt at a Solution
I'm a bit confused as to the actual shape the string makes after displacement. Is it a simple shape such that the top part of the string (L-d) forms an angle to equilibrium, and the bottom part (d) hangs vertically? If this is the case, what is the need for a potential density? This could just be solved discretely...