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MATERIALS ASSEMBLING A WAVE TAPE

Procedure
twelve drinking straws Work in pairs for easier assembly of a wave tape. Have your partner
masking tape hold or secure a long piece of tape to the desk top. This bottom tape
should be placed sticky side up. If you find it too difficult to work with
ruler
long tape strips, the wave tape can be assembled in shorter sections
and then pieced together.
1. Choose a partner. Have one person hold a long piece of tape, sticky
side up, while the other person places several straws on the tape,
7 cm apart. Make sure the straws are centered on the tape and at
right angles to the tape.
2. As shown in the figure, secure the straws by pressing a second piece
of tape, sticky side down, on top of the first piece of tape.

3. Tape one end of the wave tape to the edge of a desktop so that the
straws are parallel to the edge.
4. Hold the other end of the tape so that the tape is taut and level.
Have your partner tap one end of the straw that is farthest from the
desk. Observe what happens. Repeat this several times. Keep the
tape taut and your hand steady.

Chapter 14  Vibrations and Waves

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Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
 14

Results
1. Is this a mechanical wave? Why or why not?
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2. What kind of wave did you observe?
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3. By what medium is wave energy transmitted or reflected in this investigation?
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4. What happened when the wave encountered the desk?
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5. Tap the straw more than once to produce multiple waves in the tape. What do you see?
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Chapter 14  Vibrations and Waves

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Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.