Activity 6: Standing Wave Motion

5. Pull the spring balances and adjust the tension of the string so that it vibrates in one
segment (n=1) with maximum amplitude. Record the tension in the table.

Figure 6.6.String vibrating in 1 segment.

6. Repeat step 5 and find the tensions necessary for the string to vibrate in two, three and four
segments (n = 2, 3, 4), keeping the mass m and length L constant. Record the corresponding
tensions in the table.

DATA AND COMPUTATIONS

1. Calculate the wavelength of each wave for each corresponding tension using Eqn.
(3). (4 points)
Formula: ¿( L /n) 2
N=1
¿( 0.815 m/1)2
¿ 1.63 m

N=2
¿( 0.815 m/2)2
¿ 0.81 5 m
N=3
¿( 0.815 m/3)2
¿ 0.54 3 m

N=4
¿( 0.815 m/ 4)2
¿ 0.4 08 m
 2. Fill up Table 6.1.
No. of Reading R1 of Tension F
loops spring balance (Newtons) x=❑2 xi yi x 2i
y=R i x 9.8
gram kg

1 285g 2.793N 1.63m 2.657m 2 7.421Nm 2 7.060m 4

0.285kg

2 75g 0.075kg 0.735N 0.815m 0.664m2 0.488Nm2 0.441m 4

3 30g 0.030kg 0.294N 0.543m 0.295m2 0.087Nm2 0.087m 4

4 20g 0.020kg 0.196N 0.408m 0.166m2 0.033Nm2 0.028m 4

∑ yi =4.018 N ∑ x i=3.782 m2 ∑ x i y i=8.029 N m2 ∑ x 2i =7.616 m4

3. Using linear regression, compute for slope. In your computations, use tension as y-variable, λ2
as x-variable and N as the number of loops. (Use back page if you need more space for the
computation.) (3 points)

N ( ∑ xy )−( ∑ x )(∑ y)
slope= 2
N ( ∑ x2 ) −( ∑ x)

( 4 ) ( 8.029 N m 2 )−(3.782 N )(4.018 m2 )

slope=
4 ( 7.616 m 4 ) −(3.782 m 2)2

slope=1.047 N /m2
4. Solve for f using slope = mf 2 L and compare this with the frequency of vibrator. (3 points)
( L)( slope)
f=
√ m

(0.815 m)(1.045 N /m 2)
f=
√ 0.000195 kg

f =66.04 Hz

COMPARISON through % difference:

Experiment frequency= 66.04Hz

Accepted frequency= 60 Hz

| ACCEPTED−EXPIREMENT|
%error= X 100 %
ACCEPTED

|60 Hz−66.04 Hz|

%error= X 100 %
60 Hz

%error =10 %

Therefore, there is 10 % difference between accepted frequency (60 Hz) to my measured

frequency (66.04Hz.)

Activity 6: Standing Wave Motion