2020 Name ______________________________

Wave on a String Simulation Lab

Objectives
 Use the simulation to produce standing waves on a string.
 Calculate the speed of the wave on the string.
 Observe and measure the first six harmonics on the string.

Background:
A wave can be generated by many sources: vocal chords oscillating when you speak or
sing, a vibrating atomic particle, black hole collisions, compression of the atmosphere,
an earthquake, and many more. The wave can travel through a solid, liquid, or gas and
some waves can travel in empty space. If matter is involved in the wave propagation,
the matter is called a medium. All waves carry energy and disturb the medium, if
present, but they do not transport the matter along with the wave. Instead, particles in
the medium oscillate back and forth or up and down about an equilibrium position. The
simulation we’ll use for data collection models a stretched string, as shown in Figure 1,
in which a mechanical vibrator and sine wave generator are used to generate waves.

Figure 1. An elastic string is affixed to the oscillator on the left and laid across a pulley
with a hanging mass attached to a loop on the string on the right. A tension force results
from gravity pulling on the mass. Wire connectors supply power to the oscillator from
the control box which allows regulation of the frequency and amplitude of the wave on
the string. Tension is varied by changing hanging masses on the end of the string over
the pulley. A meter stick is used to measure the length of the string and the distance
between the oscillator and the pulley available for the standing wave.

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 In the simulation from Gheorghe Asachi
Technical University of Iasi (Romania)
that we will use to collect our data, the
string is vertically oriented. The
components in the simulation are very
easy to find and closely resemble the
equipment we use in a live lab. The
on/off switch is found on the control box
along with the dial which regulates the
frequency. A slider adjusts the mass on
the pan. A horizontal arm with a pulley
extends from the stand to indicate the
mid-point of the string’s length.

Often in a Physics class, standing waves are demonstrated with a slinky spring. With
the slinky spring stretched out on the floor or table, one end is moved back and forth
horizontally by the instructor while the other end is held in one place by an assistant.
The instructor oscillates the slinky at a right-angle to the direction of propagation of the
wave. For this reason, the traveling wave is referred to as a transverse wave.

A standing wave pattern is produced when the incoming waves generated by the
instructor reflect off the fixed end and interfere with the incoming waves in such a way
that the pattern appears to be standing still. It is called a standing wave because certain
points in the wave appear to be standing still; these are called nodes. The areas of
greatest displacement from the equilibrium are called antinodes.

Various harmonics are produced when the medium vibrates at specific frequencies to
produce such standing waves. Not all frequencies will generate a harmonic. The
number of nodes is dependent on the frequency of oscillation in relation to the
spring/string length; when the length of the wave produced by the oscillation is
proportional to the length of the medium, the wave will reflect to allow the standing
pattern of a harmonic. Each harmonic is characterized by the number of nodes that
appear on the slinky spring, just as we will see on the stretched string on the simulator.

The first three harmonics are shown in Figure 2 below. Nodes are indicated by the letter
N where the string never moves. The antinodes, indicated by A in Figure 2, are where
the string has maximum displacement. The antinodes are located halfway in between
adjacent nodes.

The collection of all possible resonant or natural frequencies (specific frequencies

where the standing wave is present) are known as the harmonic series and are given by

ƒn = nƒ1 = nv/2L n = 1, 2, 3, … (1)

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 For formula 1, ƒ1 is the lowest frequency for which a standing wave occurs and is called
the fundamental frequency and the first harmonic; see Figure 2 (a). Speed of wave
on the string is v. For any particular harmonic on the stretched string, the speed is given
by

Ft
v =f n λ n =
√ μ
(2)

In formula 2, frequency, ƒ, is defined as the number of oscillations per unit time. The
letter n denotes the number of the harmonic. Wavelength, λ, is defined as the distance
between repeating points in the pattern such as the top of one crest to the next. See
one wavelength indicated in Figure 3. Period, T, is the time for one complete oscillation
and is equal to 1/f. The tension force is Ft and the linear mass density, µ, is defined as
mass of the string divided by its length, µ = m/L.

Figure 2: A stretched string with both fixed ends oscillates in a standing wave pattern.
(a) The first harmonic, also called the fundamental because it is the lowest possible
frequency, produces one loop of standing wave. (b) The second harmonic yields two
loops. (c) The third harmonic gives three loops.

Figure 3: The third harmonic of a

stretched string fixed at both ends.
Note the crest to crest labeling of one
wavelength, λ.

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 Procedure:
Part A: Determining the linear mass density of the string.
1. Imagine you have untied all knots and loops and laid your string out on the meter
stick carefully aligning the end with the zero mark, you find it extends past the
length of one meter. Marking the one-meter length carefully, lay the mark on the
zero position on the meter stick to measure the remainder and you will see that it
reaches to the pictured length. Read the measurement from the image and
record the total length of the string in Data Table 1.

2. Imagine that you lay the coiled string on the pan of the triple-beam balance and
make adjustments until you the needle reads level. Record the correct
measurement for mass, m in Data Table 1.

3. Complete the calculation for linear mass density, µ = m/ ł, in Data Table 1.

Part B: Predicting Harmonic Frequencies

Complete Data Table 2 for predicted frequencies at which harmonics should occur:

1. Using the masses listed in first column, calculate and record the Tension force, F t
= Mg.
2. Using the value you calculated for linear mass density, �, from Table 1, find the
Ft
values for speed of the wave, v =
μ
.
√
3. Find the predicted driving frequency of the first harmonic, ƒ 1 = v / λ1. Then
calculate the subsequent predicted harmonic frequencies: ƒ 2 = 2ƒ1; ƒ3 = 3ƒ1,
ƒ4 = 4ƒ1, ƒ5 = 5ƒ1, and ƒ6 = 6 ƒ1. (Show calculations here.)

PHYS 1407
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 Part C: Measuring First to Sixth Harmonics

1. Access the online simulation for standing waves, “unde stationare.” Let the
distance, L, from the wave driver to the contact with the pulley equal 0.8 m. For
the first harmonic, the wavelength, λ1 = 2L = 1.6 m.
2. Use the slider on the hanging mass pan to adjust the mass to the first prescribed
mass from Data Table 3.

3. Click the virtual power switch to on. You should see wave motion on the string.
4. Position your cursor over the frequency dial on the control box.* When a rotation
symbol appears, scroll to the lowest frequency. Scroll to increase the frequency
until the wave on the string is clearly the first harmonic, approximately your
predicted value. Record the experimental value as ƒ1 in Data Table 3.
5. Keeping the mass on the pan the same, find and record values for ƒ2, ƒ3, ƒ4, ƒ5,
and ƒ6.
6. With the power switch off, change the mass to the next prescribed mass in Data
Table 3, switch the power on and repeat steps 4 and 5 until table is complete.

Note: If you have trouble rotating the dial, a scrolling mouse may be necessary. Perhaps
you can borrow from someone.

Lab Report Form – Wave on a String

Part A: Measuring the Linear Mass Density of the string

Data Table 1
m (kg) ł (m) µ = m/ ł
mass of string total length of string linear mass density

[Show calculations here.]

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 Part B: Predicting the Harmonic Frequencies
Data Table 2
Length of string, L = 0.8 m Wavelength, λ1 = 2L = 1.6 m.

M (kg) Ft = Mg v= ƒ 1 = υ / λ1 ƒ2 = ƒ3 = ƒ4 = ƒ5 = ƒ6 =
Handin (N) Ft (Hz) 2ƒ1 3ƒ1 4ƒ1 5ƒ1 6ƒ1
g Mass Tension √μ
(m/s)
(Hz) (Hz) (Hz) (Hz) (Hz)

.050
.070
.100
.120
.140
*g = 9.8 m/s2 μ is from Data Table 1. [Show calculations Ft, v, and ƒ1 here.]

Part C: Measuring First through Sixth Harmonics

Data Table 3
M (kg) ƒ1 (Hz) ƒ 2 (Hz) ƒ 3 (Hz) ƒ 4 (Hz) ƒ 5 (Hz) ƒ 6 (Hz)
Handing first second first first first first
Mass harmonic harmonic harmonic harmonic harmonic harmonic
.050

.070

.100

.120

.140

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 Questions:
1. What is a wave? [Type answer here.]
2. What are standing waves? [Type answer here.]
3. Use your own words to describe the characteristics of the harmonics based on
your observation [Type answer here.]
4. What is the frequency of the tenth harmonic for M= 0.100 kg case? [Type
answer here.]
5. According to Data Table 2, if the tension is increased, how does the wave speed
and the first harmonic change? [Type answer here.]
6. How are the standing waves produced in this experiment? [Type answer here.].

Citations:

Figure 3 from https://schoolbag.info/physics/physics_math/42.html with a creative commons license

was altered to show the formula for frequency.

Simulation, unde stationare, http://server.ce.tuiasi.ro/~radinschi/simulation/sim2/index.html

Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, https://pnsn.org/outreach/about-earthquakes/eq-waves

How Vocal Chords Work, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2pLJfWUjc8

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