513.001 Molecular and Solid State Physics

Phonons in a 1-d chain

The speed of sound in a certain linear monatomic chain is 1.08 × 10⁴ m/s. If the mass of each atom is 6.81 × 10^-26 kg and the atomic separation at equilibrium is 0.485 nm, find

a) the effective spring constant

b) the maximum normal mode angular frequency.