Waves: Required Practical : Waves in a solid.

Question 1

What does the apparatus look like?

Answer 1

• String with one end attached to a vibration generator + Other end is a hanging mass keeping the string taut.
• Vibration generator attached to a signal generator. (Allows us to change the frequency of the vibration in the string.
• ## When we turn on the power the string vibrates.

Question 2

At a certain frequency what happens?

Answer 2

• Standing wave.
• Due to an effect known as resonance.
• Use a ruler to measure the wavelength and measure the total length of the standing wave from the wooden bridge to the vibration generator.
• To find speed we use the equation and read the frequency from the signal generator.

Question 3

What happens if we increase the frequency?

Answer 3

• Measure the distance from the wooden bridge to the vibration generator.
• Divide the total wave length by the number of half wavelengths and multiply by 2.
• Use the wave equation to find the speed.

Question 4

What does the wave speed depend on?

Answer 4

• Does not depend on the frequency or wave length.
• ## Depends on the taughtness of the string and the mass/cm.