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OBJECTIVES:
Measure the frequency and period of sound waves from tuning forks
Measure the amplitude of sound waves from tuning forks
Observe beats between the sounds of two tuning forks
MATERIALS:
Computer
Logger Pro
Vernier Computer Interface
Vernier Microphone
2 Tuning forks / Electronic Keyboard
PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS:
1. Why are instruments tuned before being played as a group? In which
ways do musicians tune their instruments?
Instruments have a tendency to change pitch slightly due to factors like moisture
and temperature; hence they are tuned before being played by listening or using a
reed tuner type device. This is especially important in group play because
differences are easier to compare than when played alone. Musicians tune their
instruments by adjusting tensions or tube lengths which changes their instruments
pitch. These adjustments are made while playing and listening to a reference tone
(e.g. A-440 Hz).
2. Given that sound waves consist of series of air pressure increases
and decreases, what would happen if an air pressure increase from
one sound wave was located at the same place and time as a
pressure decrease from another of the same amplitude?
The algebraic sum is zero. An increase in air pressure from one sound
wave will cancel out pressure decrease from another of the same
amplitude.
PROCEDURE
1. Connect the Vernier Microphone to Channel 1 of the computer
Interface. Turn on the external speakers for your computer
2. Start Logger Pro. Open the 32 Sound Waves file in the Physics with
Vernier folder. The computer will take data for just 0.05 s to display the
rapid pressure variations of sound waves. The vertical axis corresponds
to the variation in air pressure and the units are arbitrary. Click
to center waveforms on the time axis. Resize the Program window so
that it occupies roughly the bottom of your screen.
11. Save your data by choosing Store Latest Run from the Experiment menu.
Hide the run by choosing Hide Data Set from the Data menu and selecting
Run 1 to hide.
12. Double click on the Pure_Tone_512Hz file. Repeat Steps 4 10 for the
second frequency. Store the latest run. It will be stored as Run 2. Then
hide Run 2.
Graph of Pressure vs time for a 512 Hz Pure Tone:
PART II BEATS
13. Two pure tones with different frequencies sounded at once will create the
phenomenon known as beats. Sometimes the waves will reinforce one
another and other times they will combine to a reduced intensity. This
happens on a regular basis because of the fixed frequency of each tone.
To observe beats, Double click on the Combined_440Hz_512Hz file and
listen for the combined sound. If the beats are slow enough, you should
be able to hear a variation in intensity. If the beats are rapid a single
rough-sounding tone is heard.
14. Collect data while the two tones are sounding. You should see a time
variation of the sound amplitude. If the waveform appears too small, turn
up the speaker volume and repeat. When you get a clear waveform,
choose Store Latest Run from the Experiment menu. The beat waveform
will be stored as Run 3. Paste this graph below.
Graph of Pressure vs time for combined 440 Hz and 512 Hz tones:
15. The pattern will be complex, with a slower variation of amplitude on top of
a more rapid variation. Ignoring the more rapid variation and
concentrating in the overall pattern, count the number of beat cycles after
the first maximum and record it in the data table. (Note: the picture
below shows three beat cycles selected).
16.
As you did before, find the time interval for the selected complete
beats cycles using the mouse. Divide the difference, t, by the number of
cycles to determine the period of beats (in s). Calculate the beat
frequency in Hz from the beat period. Record these values in your data
table 4. Hide Run 3.
DATA TABLE
Part I Simple Waveforms
Table 1
Tuning
Fork or
Note
Number
of cycles
t (s)
Period
(s)
Calculated
frequency
(Hz)
18
0.04703
0.002613
382.79
20
0.04720
0.00236
423.73
Table 2
Tuning Fork
Amplitude
(V)
0.136
0.130
Table 3
Tuning Fork
or Note
Parameter A
(V)
Parameter B
(s-1)
f = B/(2)
(Hz)
0.03196
2409
383.4
0.07199
2681
426.7
Part II Beats
Table 4
Number of
beat cycles
t
(s)
Beat
(s)
Calculated
beat frequency
(Hz)
0.6851
0.0228
43.8
ANALYSIS
Part I Simple Waveforms
1. In the following analysis, you will see how well a sine function model fits
the data. The displacement of the particles in the medium carrying a
Frequency
512 Hz
0.16
0.24
426.7 Hz
0.19
0.24
384 Hz
0.18
0.25
Waveleng
th (m)
V from
Wavelen
gth
V from
Temperat
ure
% Error
Frequenc
y
512 Hz
0.08
0.16
327.68
344.8
5.09
426.7 Hz
0.05
0.12
204.82
344.8
50.94
384 Hz
0.07
0.14
215.04
344.8
46.36
Questions:
m1f1=-v/4
2. In what way would the experiment vary if the temperature in
the room were lower?
Temperature of the room affects the velocity of sound
V = 331+0.6 T
Velocity of sound in turn would increase the frequency at which
resonances would occur and the corresponding intermodal distances.