# Homework Help: Representing Velocity, Acceleration, and Jerking as compressional waves.

1. Jan 15, 2009

### Axoren

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
$$\vec{Velocity}$$ = $$\Delta$$Displacement/$$\Delta$$Time
$$\vec{Acceleration}$$ = $$\Delta$$Velocity/$$\Delta$$Time
$$\vec{Jerk}$$ = $$\Delta$$Acceleration/$$\Delta$$Time

Represent the above as compressional waves. Define their frequency and amplitude as functions.

2. Relevant equations
See above.

3. The attempt at a solution
No clue what the hell my teacher is talking about... I think he means like amplitude would be Acceleration * Time, and Frequency would be 1 / Time, but I don't know.

2. Jan 16, 2009

### Thaakisfox

Hmm, well the wave equation governing compressional waves is:

$$\bigtriangleup \Theta - \frac{1}{c_c^2}\frac{\partial ^2\Theta}{\partial t^2}$$

Where $$\Theta$$ is the divergence of the displacement field, and $$c_c^2=\frac{2\mu+\lambda}{\rho}$$ (\mu and \lambda are the lame constants.)

But exactly what does your teacher want with the question?

3. Jan 17, 2009

### Axoren

Isn't that transverse waves? I'm doing poorly in physics...