Required practical - measuring waves in a ripple tank

Question 1

Method:

Answer 1

1- Set up the ripple tank as shown in the diagram with about 5 cm depth of water.
2- Adjust the height of the wooden rod so that it just touches the surface of the water.
3- Switch on the lamp and motor and adjust until low frequency waves can be clearly observed.
4- Measure the length of a number of waves then divide by the number of waves to record wavelength. It may be more practical to take a photograph of the card with the ruler and take your measurements from the still picture.
5- Count the number of waves passing a point in ten seconds then divide by ten to record frequency.
6- Calculate the speed of the waves using: wave speed = frequency × wavelength.

Question 2

Hazards, consequences and control measures

Answer 2

Hazard = Electrical components near water
consequence = Shock, damage to electrical equipment
control measures = Secure electrical components before adding water taking care not to splash