Required Practicals - Waves in a solid Flashcards
What is the goal of the waves in a solid practical?
To measure the wavelength, wavespeed and frequency of waves in a solid.
What is the apparatus?
Have a string with one end attached to a vibration generator.
Have a hanging mass at the other end of the string, keeping the string taut as it is clamped by a pulley on a clamp.
The vibration generator is attached to a signal generator.
What does the signal generator allow us to do?
Change the frequency of vibration of the string.
What happens when we turn on the power?
The string vibrates.
What is a visible wave seen in the practical called?
A standing wave
What are standing waves caused by?
Resonance.
Where are standing waves found?
Stringed musical instruments like guitars.
How do we measure the wavelength of a standing wave?
Use a ruler.
Measure the total length of the standing wave from the wooden bridge to the vibration generator.
How do we calculate the wave speed of a standing wave?
Using the wave equation where wave speed = frequency x wavelength.
Read the frequency from the signal generator.
Use the wavelength previously calculated.
What happens if we increase wave frequency?
The wavelength decreases.
What can we say about how wavespeed varies with frequency or wavelength?
It does not depend on either of them.
What does the wavespeed of a standing wave depend on?
The taughtness of the string and the mass / cm.
