Waves Lab

Manuela Rodriguez, Juan Sebastian Perez y Carolina Pino

manuela.rodriguezyance@rochester.edu.co Juanperezgutierrez@rochester.edu.co
Colegio Rochester (Fisica 2)
Chia, Colombia

Abstract In English—In this laboratory, 4 Materials:

experiments were carried out to analyze the
different types of waves that we have seen
in class as sound and standing waves.
Abstract En Español—En este laboratorio
se realizaron 4 experimentos para analizar
los diferentes tipos de ondas que hemos
visto en clase como ondas de sonido y
estacionarias
WHAT ARE SOUND WAVES
Sound waves are longitudinal waves, which
means that the energy moves parallel to the
medium.  This waves are produced by
compression and expansion of an elastic
medium. They are produced when something
is caused to vibrate and the energy of that
vibrating object is transferred through the
movement of particles within the medium.
WHAT ARE STANDING WAVES
Standing waves are produced when two
waves of equal amplitude and wavelength
travel in opposite directions and interfere with
each other. For example a vibrating rope is an
example of a standing wave. They are made up
of two thing, nodes which is a point in the
standing wave that appears to be stationary
and harmonics which are pieces separated by
the nodes.
- Tuning forks
- Beaker
- Plastic tube
- 250 mL graduated cylinder
- Thermometer
- Metric ruler
- Plastic cup
- Water
I. 1 EXPERIMENT: SOUND
Procedure
1. We activated the 384 Hz fork and
hold it close to our ear. Then we
rotated it until we heared the loudest
sound. (Are the two prongs parallel
or perpendicular to your ear?
Describe the direction of the sound
waves as they exit the vibrating
prongs, and explain why is this so)
2.One at a time we activated the 512
Hz fork and the 384 Hz fork. (We
Compared the sound. What happens
with the pitch as the frequency gets
lower? What do the letters in the fork
mean? Compare the sound generated
by three different tuning forks in
terms of pitch)
 Results: vibrating prongs horizontally over the
mouth of the plastic tube as shown.
The two prongs are perpendicular to our ear 4. 4. Lower the tube into the water in the
because we can hear more the sound than in graduated cylinder until you hear the
the parallel way we can see that this is a sound of the vibrating air column in the
longitudinal wave because the sound moves tube increase in volume, this is the location
parallel to the medium. The energy of vibrating of the first resonance or antinode for the
object transferred through the movement of young wave reflecting from the water at
particles within the medium, creating the bottom of the plastic tube.
mechanical wave. If we put 5. As one member of your group hold the
plastic tube in position, repeat step 4.
Forks Frecuency Sound In Terms Of Pitch Adjust the height of the tube until you are
sure of the exact distance that produces the
C256Hz Low-pitched loudest sound.
B480Hz Very acute and higher pitch
Tuning fork Air column length
512Hz 14.5 cm
Conclusions:
480 Hz 16. 5cm

The letters before the frequency are musical 384 Hz 17.5 cm

notes so that is why B=Si is more acute than
C= Do
512Hz 480 Hz 384 Hz
The Frequency  is  directly proportional to
pitch. The higher the  frequency, higher
the pitch.

II. 18

EXPERIMENT 2: STANDING WAVES

13,5
1. Fill the 250 mL graduated cylinder with
250 mL of water.
2. 2. Insert the 1 x 9
12” plastic tube
vertically into the 4,5
graduated cylinder
so that the lower
end of the plastic 0
Air column length
tube touches the
surface of the water
in the cylinder. 8. Because the antinode forms above the
3. 3. Strike the 512
mouth of the tube at the location of the
Hz tuning fork on
tuning fork, the measure length of the air
the rubber activator,
column must be adjusted. Add the
and place the
following correction factor to each air
column length: 0.4 times the diameter of
the tube (cm).
- 4cm x 0.4(=1.6) + each air column
length
- 512Hz: 1.6 + 14.5 cm = 16,1 cm
- 480 Hz: 1.6 + 16. 5cm = 18,1 cm
- 384 Hz: 1.6 + 17.5 cm= 19,1 cm
This adjusted distance is one-fourth of a
wavelength in meters. Recall that the
shortest column of air that produces a
node at the bottom of a closed cylinder
and an antinode at the mouth is one-
fourth of a wavelength at a given
frequency. Multiply the adjusted distance
by four to obtain the wavelength for each
of the tuning forks in cm. Then, convert
the measurement to meters.
λ= L4
Wavelengths
V=λ x f
- 512Hz: 6.44 m x 512Hz= 3297,2m/s
- 480 Hz:7.24 m x 480 Hz= 3475,2 m/s
- 384 Hz:7.64 m x 384 Hz= 2933,7 m/s
- 361,47m/s is the Experimental velocity
of sound, average
10. Measure and record the room temperature
in celsius degrees. Then, calculate the
theoretical velocity of sound using the
equation: v = 330 m/s + 0.6 T.
Room temperature: 18 ºC
Theoretical speed of sound: 340,8 m/s
PE = (experimental speed – theatrical speed) \
accepted value) x 100%.
Pe1= 3297,2m/s - 340,8 m/s
——————————— x 100%= 867,5%
340,8 m/s
Pe2= 3475,2 m/s - 340,8 m/s
——————————— x 100%= 919,71%
340,8 m/s

- 512Hz: (16,1 cm) x 4 = 64,4 cm (6.44 Pe3= 2933,7 m/s - 340,8 m/s
meters) ——————————— x 100%= 760,82%
- 480 Hz: (18,1 cm) x 4 = 72,4 cm (7.24 340,8 m/s
meters)
- 384 Hz: (19,1 cm) x 4 = 76,4cm(7.64
meters)

9. For each wavelength, 512 Hz, 384 Hz

and “unknown” frequency, use the formula
of velocity to find the velocity of the wave
in m/s. This is the experimental velocity of
sound at room temperature. Average the
calculated velocities for each tuning fork
an experimental velocity,
 III. 3 EXPERIMENT: WAVE INTERFERENCE
Figure 1

Before interference After interference

Before interference After interference

Before interference After Interference

Before interference After Interference

Before interference
After Interference

As you can see in the images we create

different patterns with the simulation, for
example in some patterns we changed the
units, then we change if it was positive or
negative and the sides the wave goes. Also we
notice what happened to the two waves when
they interfered each other. Also doing the
simulation we learn and discover new things
that we didn’t know, like for example we
learn that the reflection of a wave when it is
on a string it travels down the rope and the
reflection will happen at the end. We notice
that if the end of the rope is free the wave
will return right side up and for the rope
invert the end will need to be fixed. We notice
that the velocity is related with other factors
that are the mass, amplitude, frequency and
the tension.
 = vw=λT or vw=fλ. The period in
the time for one complete weave
cycle, keep in mind that the number
of waves per unit is the frequency.
Making the simulations we notice
that the amplitude of a wave does
not affect the speed. If we are going
to talk about what is the relationship
between the tension and the wave
speed we can say that the wave
speed is proportional to the square
root of the tension, so with this in
mind we say that that the speed is
doubled.

Doing the simulation we took this two

picture I that help us to understand what
we where looking for. We notice that the
wave speed is dependent to the frequency
and also to the wavelength. We know that
the equation for the velocity we found the
wave length using the equation for it and
then we needed to multiply that results by
the frequency. Making the simulations we
notice that if the graph have the lowest
frequency it will have a higher velocity,
this have since because the wavelength is
higher. We saw that the the experimental
speed change depending on the
wavelength and the frequency. It’s
important to keep in mind that when the
frequency is changed no other thing can be
change which this argument is not always
gonna be true. The wave velocity and the
wavelength are related to the the waves
frequency and their period is the following