CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Physics 212-14 / Section 14- 34514

Standing waves On Strings

Prepared by: Faustino Corona,

Noe Rodriguez,
Rodney Pujada,
Richard Lam

Performance Date: Tuesday,April 13, 2016

Submission Due: Tuesday, April 20, 2016
Professor: Ryan Andersen
Wednesday: 6:00 pm. 8:30 p.m.

April 2016

Experiment No 3: Standing waves On Strings

I.

II.

ABSTRACT
To experiment the relation between wave velocity and springs tension by using
standing waves
INTRODUCTION

In this experiement we are using an electrically driven vibrartor of 60HZ frequency that is
attached to a set of weights with a weight holder.
f=frequency in cycles/second (HZ)
=wavelength
v=f , the speed of propagation of the wave in any medium
=tension in the string, equal to "mg" if produced by a hanging mass "m"
=mass per unit length of the string
VTH=,
the theoretical speed of propagation of a wave along a string under tension
k=2/, the wavenumber of the wave
=2f=kv

III.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The materials needed for this experiment are an electrical vibrator with a frequency of 60
Hz, a uniform cord, a 2-meter stick, a set of weights, a mounted pulley, and a stroboscope.
There isnt a precise procedure for this experiment in order to collect data needed. The
purpose is to simply create different tensions on the cord by adjusting the hanging weight.
With the vibrator on, analyze the behavior of the cord at different tensions. You must keep
altering the tension in order to attain some kind of algebraic relation between tension and

velocity of the cord. The ultimate goal is to gather sufficient data in order to be able to
calculate the velocity of propagation of the wave with about 1% of its theoretical value
IV.

DATA AND ANALYSIS

Original data L=177 cm f= 60Hz mass of string = 0.02 Kg
Numb
er of
Loops
(n)
4
3
2
1
0

Mass
(g)

wavelength
(cm )

30
55
105
205
725

72
78
92
174
354

4.1. CALCULATE for each loop by the formula.

DATA TABLE 1: Calculation of the wavelength

Numb
er of
Loops
(n)
5
4
3
2
1

L (cm)
177
177
177
177
177

wavelength
(cm )

wavelength
(cm )

=2L/5
=2L/4
=2L/3
=2L/2
=2L/1

70.8
88.5
118
177
354

DATA TABLE 2: Calculate the tension by m*g where g =9.8 m/s2

Numbe
r of
Loops
(n)

Mass
(g)

Mass
(Kg)

Tension
mg (N)

wavelengt
h (cm )

waveleng
th (m )

V=
*60

5
4
3
2
1

30
55
105
205
725

0.03
0.055
0.105
0.205
0.725

0.294
0.539
1.029
2.009
7.105

70.8
88.5
118
177
354

0.708
0.885
1.18
1.77
3.54

0.501
0.783
1.392
3.133
12.532

42.48
53.1
70.8
106.2
212.4

4.2. CALCULATE THE TENSION by m*g where g =9.8 m/s2

For loon n=5 (4 nodes): where g= 9.8 m/s2
Mass = 30g = 0.03 Kg
Tension = mass * g = 0.03 Kg * 9.8 m/s2 = 0.294 N

4.3. CALCULATE THE VELOCITY (m/s)

For loon n=5 (4 nodes):

wavelength (m ) = 0.708 m
frequency (Hz) = 60 Hz = 60/s

Velocity = mass * g = 0.294 N * 60 Hz = 42.48 m/s

Velocity= 42.98 m/s

4.4. GRAPHING: Velocity (m/s) vs Tension (N) by table No 2

4.5. Calculate the velocity of the standing wave using the following formula

Formula No 2 to calculate the velocity

= M/L = 0.0002 Kg/ 1.77 m =1.1299* 10-4 Kg/m

Velocity = Sqrt( Tension / (0.0113 Kg/m))

For loop n= 5 : velocity = sqrt (0.294 N/1.1299*
For loop n= 4 : velocity = sqrt (0.539 N/1.1299*
For loop n= 3 : velocity = sqrt (1.029 N/1.1299*
For loop n= 2 : velocity = sqrt (2.009 N/1.1299*
For loop n= 1: velocity = sqrt (7.105 N/1.1299*

10 -4
10 -4
10 -4
10 -4
10 -4

Kg/m)
Kg/m)
Kg/m)
Kg/m)
Kg/m)

=
=
=
=
=

51.0 m/s
69.1 m/s
95.43 m/s
133.343 m/s
250.76 m/s

DATA TABLE 3: Compare the velocity by calculation by part 4.3.

Tensio
n mg
(N)

0.294
0.539
1.029
2.009
7.105

Velocity
Experimental
part 4.4.

V= *60
42.48
53.1
70.8
106.2
212.4

Velocity by formula
part 4.5

Velocity (m/s)
51
69.1
95.4
133.343
250.76

4.6. CALCULATION OF PERCENT DIFFERENCE

We appreciate

DATA TABLE 4: Compare the velocity experimental vs velocity in calculations

Tensio
n mg
(N)

V= *60

Velocity (m/s)

0.294
0.539
1.029
2.009
7.105

42.48
53.1
70.8
106.2
212.4

51
69.1
95.4
133.343
250.76

Calculate the percent of error:

Data:
By table No 2 Part 4.3 V= *60 =
Part 4.4. Velocity (m/s) =

For Loop N= 5

V= *60 =42.48
Velocity (m/s) = 51.00
Average(practical value + Theorycal value)/2 = (42.98+ 51.00 )/2 =46.99
Percent error = {(42.98 - 51.00) / 46.99 }x100% = -18.23 %
Percent
error
-18.23 %

DATA TABLE 5 : Calculate the difference percent

V.

Tensio
n mg
(N)

V= *60

Velocity (m/s)

%
Difference

0.294
0.539
1.029
2.009
7.105

42.48
53.10
70.80
106.20
212.40

51.00
69.10
95.40
133.34
250.76

-18.23
-26.19
-29.60
-22.66
-16.56

RESULTS

The waves will all have a frequency of 60 Hz. Their wavelength is given by = v/f. Since
the frequency is fixed, the wavelength of the waves can only be changed by changing the
speed of the waves. Students will adjust the tension in the string until 1, 2, or 3 half
wavelength of a wave with f = 60 Hz fit into the length of the string. Then 60 Hz is a
natural frequency of the string and the vibrator drives the string into resonance. The
amplitude increases and the standing waves can easily be observed. We observe different
waves that we called Fundamental: L = /2, n = 1, 1/2 wavelength fits into the length of the
string. Second harmonic: L = n = 2, one wavelength fits into the length of the string. And
Third harmonic: L = 3/2, n = 3, 3/2 wavelengths fit into the length of the string.
This experiment shows the velocity calculate by the wavelength is 18 % less from the
calculations velocity.
VI.

CONCLUSIONS

In this procedure we are trying to measure the velocity of a wave, but this is hard to do, which
means we need to find the wavelength and frequency in order to find it. Since velocity is
wavelength times frequency. In this experiment frequency is already set at 60 Hz or 60 cycles/
second. As we try to find the wavelength of different nodes we notice that the more weight or
mass we add to the hanger (5g) the less nodes that will appear. We went from adding 25g to the
hangar which had 4 nodes to 725g which didnt have any nodes. From this we notice that each
time it lowered in nodes the weight doubled. We also the larger the wavelength the faster the
velocity since the frequency is constant here but the wavelength changes with lower nodes. With
this prediction I agree with since the more weight the more tension which is applied to the string
making the velocity increase. But we can make improvements to lower our error since to
measure each node we had to use a ruler and eyeball the measurements which can change the
velocity. Getting the weight right for each node because the weight can affect the tension which
can affect the theoretical speed.

VII.

REFERENCES

Department of Physics and Astronomy CSU Los Angeles. Edition 2.0, XanEdu
Custom Publishing, pp. 8-14
DATA SHEETS

VIII.