Experiment 10

Melde’s Experiment
Apparatus: String vibrator, sine wave generator, pulley, mass hanger, string, weights.

Purpose of the experiment:

i) To study the normal modes of transverse vibration of a stretched string

ii) To determine the velocity of propagation of waves on a string.

Basic Methodology: A string is stretched horizontally and one end of it is set into transverse
vibrations with a mechanical vibrator driven with a variable sine wave generator. For a fixed
tension, we determine the velocity of propagation of waves on the string by recording the
frequency & wavelength of various normal modes on the string.

I Theory
The equation governing transverse vibrations of a stretched string is

∂ 2y 1 ∂ 2y
− 2 2 =0 (1)
∂t2 u ∂t
q
where y(x, t) is the vertical displacement of a point x on the string, u = T /µ is the velocity
of the wave, T is the tension in the string and µ is its mass per unit length. If both ends of the
string (of lengthL) are assumed to be fixed, the vibration on the string is given by the solution
y(x, t) of Eq. (1) with the boundary conditions y(0, t) = y(L, t) = 0 for all time t. A general
vibration is not characterized by any frequency of vibration. There are, however, particular
modes of vibration in which all points on the string vibrate in a simple harmonic motion with
a common frequency but with continuously varying amplitudes. These modes of vibration are
known as normal modes. These are standing waves of wavelength λn satisfying

L = nλn /2 n = 1, 2, 3, ... (2)

Any general vibration of the string is a superposition of these normal modes with appropriate
amplitudes. If λn and νn is the wavelength and frequency of the nth normal mode respectively,
then velocity of wave propagation is given by
s
T
u= = νn λ n (3)
µ

The displacement of the string in the nth normal mode is given by

nπx
 
yn (x, t) = A sin cos (2πνn t) , n = 1, 2, 3, . . . (4)
L
(Check that this is a solution of Eq. (1)). The mode n = 1 is called the fundamental mode.
The modes for higher n are called harmonics, of order n−1. Thus the second mode would be
the first harmonic and so on. Clearly, in a normal mode, a point x on the string vibrates with
frequency νn and amplitude A sin( nπx
L
) which varies from point to point on the string. (See Fig.
below).

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 In the present experiment, we keep the length of the string fixed at all times during the
experiment. We create tension in the string by a hanging mass at one end of the string using
the pulley & mass hanger arrangement. The other end of a string is driven transversely using
the mechanical vibrator whose frequency can be varied using the function generator. When
the driving frequency matches one of the normal mode frequencies, resonance occurs and the
string then oscillates in that normal mode with high amplitude.
s
n T
f = νn ≡ (5)
2L µ
II Setup and Procedure
1 In this experiment, one end of the string is connected to the string vibrator which is driven
using a sine wave generator. The sine wave generator can output a frequency ranging
from 1Hz to 800Hz, with an amplitude ranging from 0V to 10V. The frequency knobs
are mechanical encoders with 24 discrete detents, or clicks, per revolution. One click of
the Fine knob changes the frequency by 0.1Hz. One click of the Coarse knob changes the
frequency by 1.0Hz if the knob is turned slowly, or 4.0Hz if the knob is turned quickly.
This allows you to change the frequency more quickly over a large range.

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2 The other end of the string is connected to a mass hanger through a pulley arrangement.
You can provide a tension T = mg to the string by attaching a mass m to the string.
Make sure you include the mass of the mass hanger.
3 For given tension T in the string, tune the frequency f of the string vibrator so as to make it
vibrate in its various normal modes n. Adjust the frequency to get “good nodes”. Check
the end of the vibrating blade. There should be a node at the point where the cord
attaches to string vibrator. The blade rattling against the plastic case is an example of a
“bad node”.

4 For a given mode n, record the normal mode frequency νn and determine the corresponding
normal mode wavelength λn .

5 Plot the graph of normal modes frequencies νn and 1/λn . Determine

q the velocity of wave
propagation from slope of the graph and compare it with T /µ.
6 Repeat steps 3 to 5 for two other values of tension.
7 Report your results for velocity of wave propagation along with errors.

III Exercises and Viva Questions

1. What is a normal mode of a vibrating system? How many normal modes does a stretched
string of length L have?
2. If a stretched string is plucked at the midpoint and left to vibrate, will it vibrate in a
normal mode? If not, what are the normal modes which will compose its motion?
3. Suppose the string is vibrating in its fundamental mode. If the tension in the string is
reduced, in order to obtain the fundamental mode for the new tension, will you move the
stand towards or away from the oscillator?

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 4. For two different values of the tension, T1 and T2 respectively, with T1 < T2 , which one
will produce more number of normal modes for the given total length of the string?

5. What are the assumptions under which the equation of the vibrating string as given in
eq. (1) holds?

6. The effect of gravity has been neglected in the analysis of the experiment. What will be
its effect on the vibration of the string?

7. The end of the string attached to the oscillator is actually vibrating with the oscillator.
How can you justify the assumption that this end is a node?

8. If a string of higher μ is used how will the observations change?

References:
1. Waves and Vibrations, A.P. French, Arnold-Heinemann, New Delhi, 1972

2. The Physics of Vibrations and Waves, H. J. Pain, 6th Ed., Wiley India, 2005

3. Physics, R. Resnick, D. Halliday and K.S. Krane, Vol. 1, 5th Ed., John Wiley & Sons,
Singapore, 2003

4. PASCO Scientific manuals for products WA-9857 and WA-9867