MELDE'S EXPERIMENT

PRELIMINARY WORK
What is the expected value of n in the equation (1)?
What does n represent in the graph of log[] versus log[T]?
What do we investigate in part #1? Same question, but for part #2.
INTRODUCTION
Standing waves may be
set up in a string when two
equal and opposite waves are
superimposed. This is
accomplished in the laboratory
by means of a light string, one
end of which is fastened to the
arm of an electromagnetic
vibrator. The other end of the string is passed over a pulley and tied to a weight hanger as shown
in the figure above. The standing wave is characterized by the existence of locations on the
string that experience no displacement. These locations are called nodes. The regions of the
waveform where maximum displacement occurs are called antinodes. A full wave spans from a
node to the second next node; a node-to-node distance is as long as a half of a wavelength.
By properly changing the tension on the string you can change the number of nodes in the
standing wave, i.e., the wavelength changes. Also the wavelength is affected by the frequency of
the vibrator. Finally, you could suspect that the number of waves could depend on properties of
the string such as its lineal density (mass per unit length).
PROCEDURE
1.

AChoose a mass between 50g and 100g. Adjust the frequency and the amplitude of
the vibrator to get a standing wave with at least four antinodes (the more the better). For
that frequency, find at least four other tensions which give nice standing wavesnot
necessarily with the same number of antinodes. Each tension should have a different
number of wavelengths on the string (count the number of nodesthey should be
different for each tension). You should measure the wavelength from node to node. Best
precision is obtained when the distance measured is as large as possible (the same
principle in why we always find the slope on graphs from the extreme ends of the line).
However, the string is not quite at a node at the vibrator and it is extra hard to find the
node at the pulley. Therefore, measure the distance from the first node after the vibrator
to the last node before the pulley. That distance divided by the number of antinodes
(over that same distance) will be one-half wavelength. Plot the wavelength as a
function of the tension T.

10.2

B-

The above plot should suggest that Tn. Let = CTn where C is a
proportionality constant which may depend on the frequency, f, and the lineal density
of the string. Take the logarithm of both sides of the equation to get
log[] = log[C] + n log[T]

(1)

Plot versus T on a log-log graph then find the experimental value of n.

2.

ASelect a single tension and find five different frequencies that set up standing
waves on the string.
BMake a log-log graph of wavelength as a function of frequency. At constant
tension, to what power of frequency is the wavelength dependent?

QUESTIONS
1.
2.

Explain why it is possible to find n without knowing how frequency and density affect
the wavelength.
List out the differences between a standing wave on a string and a standing sound wave.