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At $t=0$, the initial conditions implyDifferentiate the first relation and solve for the two derivatives:Fix a reference point $x_{\ast }$ and set $V(x)={\int }_{x_{\ast }}^{x}v(s)ds$. Taking antiderivatives givesThe constants must be opposite to preserve the first initial condition; the arbitrary constant of integration $K$ does not change $\psi$. Substitution yields D'Alembert's formula:The fundamental theorem of calculus verifies that its time derivative at zero is $v(x)$, and its value at zero is $u(x)$. The oriented integral also makes the formula valid for negative $t$.

An antiderivative of the initial velocity is $-2c{e}^{-s^2/2}$. Thus D'Alembert's formula givesThis is a positive Gaussian function moving right and a negative Gaussian function moving left. Their cancellation at $t=0$ gives the zero initial displacement, while direct differentiation gives ${\psi }_t(x,0)=2cx{e}^{-x^2/2}$.

For every $t>0$, the profile is an odd function of $x$, vanishes at $x=0$, is positive for $x>0$ and negative for $x<0$, and tends to zero at both spatial infinities. The signs follow from $(x+ct{)}^2-(x-ct{)}^2=4xct$. The positive and negative lobes move farther apart as $t$ increases; for large separation they approach the individual unit-height Gaussian functions centred at $x=\pm ct$. At finite separation the actual extrema lie slightly beyond these centres: writing $a=ct$, the positive global maximum occurs at the unique $x>a$ satisfying $(x-a)/(x+a)=e^{-2ax}$.

At the first two specified times, the displacement profiles areThe second curve is the first shifted right by $\pi /(2k)=\lambda /4$. More generally a point of fixed wave phase satisfies $\omega t-kx=\text{constant}$, so it moves along $x=(\omega /k)t+\text{constant}$. Hence the wave travels in the positive $x$ direction withThis phase velocity is distinct from the local transverse velocity $\partial y/\partial t$ of a string element.

For the force derivation take a short segment between $x$ and $x+\Delta x$. Let the tangent angles to the positive $x$ axis be ${\theta }_L$ and ${\theta }_R$. The left tension pulls along the negative tangent and the right tension along the positive tangent. With small slopes and approximately constant tension magnitude $T$, the horizontal components cancel to leading order andThe segment mass is $\rho \Delta x$, where $\rho$ is mass per unit length, not volume density. Newton's second law therefore givesThe approximation neglects bending stiffness, damping and changes in tension caused by finite-amplitude stretching.

Converting the supplied density gives $\rho =0.020\mathrm{kg}{\mathrm{m}}^{-1}$, soFor the pulse, define $g(x)=A{e}^{-a{x}^2/2}$ with $a>0$. The given initial velocity is $-c{g}^{\prime }(x)$, exactly the velocity associated with a right-moving displacement $g(x-ct)$. ThereforeIt moves right without changing shape in this nondispersive model. With the same initial displacement but zero initial transverse velocity, D'Alembert's formula instead gives the Gaussian pulse splitting from zero initial velocityThe two half-amplitude pulses travel in opposite directions. Their initial velocities cancel, while their initial displacements add to the prescribed Gaussian. The two initial-value problems have different kinetic energies; splitting into half-height pulses does not contradict energy conservation. These forms assume a string long enough that reflections from its ends have not returned.

Here the velocity contribution in D'Alembert's formula isThus, with arbitrary twice continuously differentiable $h$,For the added term, $u_{tt}=e^x\sinh t=u_{xx}$ and $u_t(x,0)=e^x\cosh 0=e^x$. Its displacement at $t=0$ is zero, leaving $h$ free as required.

The velocity contribution in D'Alembert's formula is $\frac{1}{2}{\int }_{x-t}^{x+t}1ds=t$. Hence, with arbitrary twice continuously differentiable $h$,The added term has both second partial derivatives zero and has time derivative one, so it supplies precisely the required initial condition while preserving the wave equation.

For the wave equation with wave speed one, D'Alembert's formula with arbitrary twice continuously differentiable initial displacement $h(x)=u(x,0)$ isThe arbitrary function $h$ is essential: only the initial velocity is prescribed. For $g=0$, this givesBoth travelling terms solve the wave equation, and their time derivatives cancel at $t=0$. Conversely every classical solution has this form for its initial displacement $h$.

For whole-line Cauchy data with support contained in $[-a,a]$, the displayed inclusion holds at $t\ge 0$. A short check uses D'Alembert's formula: if $x>a+ct$, both sampled endpoints and the whole interval of integration lie to the right of $a$, so all contributions vanish; the argument for $x<-a-ct$ is identical. The inclusion can be strict, and a nonzero response at the first permitted arrival is not guaranteed.

For the wave equation on a string, prescribing $y(0,t)=f(t)$ and $y_x(0,t)=0$ selects equal incoming and outgoing profiles. Write D'Alembert's formula as $P(t-x/c)+Q(t+x/c)$. The two traces imply $P+Q=f$ and $P^{\prime }=Q^{\prime }$, proving the displayed expression. These data do not generally describe a disturbance launched from an everywhere resting string. For nonsmooth $f$, derivatives and boundary traces need their piecewise classical or weak derivative interpretation; an endpoint cusp may prevent a classical derivative at an isolated time.

The wave equation is a second-order linear partial differential equation describing waves with finite propagation speed. In one spatial dimension its homogeneous, constant-coefficient form isHere $x$ is position, $t$ is time, $u(x,t)$ is the disturbance, and subscripts denote partial derivatives. For a wave equation on a string, $u$ is transverse displacement; in linear acoustics, it can be a pressure perturbation. In several spatial dimensions, $u_{xx}$ becomes the Laplacian $\Delta u$. The same mathematical structure connects vibrating strings and acoustic waves, although their physical assumptions and wave speeds differ. ^[ref]

For the whole-line Cauchy problem, prescribe both displacement $u(x,0)=f(x)$ and velocity $u_t(x,0)=g(x)$. A classical solution has continuous partial derivatives through order two; $f\in C^2(\mathbb{R})$ and $g\in C^1(\mathbb{R})$ suffice for D'Alembert's formula to produce one. A finite string additionally needs boundary conditions. These statements concern the unforced model with constant $c$; damping, spatially varying coefficients and nonlinear terms change the solution formula.

A travelling wave $F(x-ct)$ carries its entire profile to the right at wave speed $c$; $G(x+ct)$ travels left. Their sum is again a solution by the superposition principle. A standing wave instead has a fixed mode shape whose size and sign oscillate: in $\sin (kx)\cos (ckt)$, each node of a standing wave stays stationary. The distinction is especially clear in the pulse and string diagrams below. For this ideal model, the dispersion relation is ${\omega }^2=c^2{k}^2$: each propagation branch is nondispersive, so a localized profile translates without spreading. This makes the equation a useful reference against which to understand wave dispersion and damping.

The appealing combination is local interaction with global predictability: neighbouring displacements determine acceleration through $u_{xx}$, yet D'Alembert's formula explicitly identifies exactly which initial locations can influence a later observation. Finite propagation speed turns that observation into a domain of dependence, rather than requiring knowledge of the entire initial string.

For the half-line wave equation $u_{tt}=c^2{u}_{xx}$ with a zero Dirichlet boundary condition at $x=0$, extend both the initial displacement and initial velocity as odd functions to the full line. D'Alembert's formula then gives an odd solution in $x$, so $u(0,t)=0$. Restriction to $x\ge 0$ solves the desired initial-boundary value problem. With zero initial velocity, the displayed formula shows reflection at the fixed endpoint with reversal of the displacement sign. Continuous piecewise smooth displacement data give a weak solution; a classical solution requires sufficient additional regularity. In particular, a kink in the initial displacement can prevent the pointwise time derivative at that kink from taking the assigned initial velocity, even though the initial velocity is attained in the $L^2$ sense.