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PHYS 2202 LAB: Physics II

Week 05

Transverse Mechanical Waves

by

Naeamah Rabeea

Due Date: 10/03/2021

Submission’s Date: 10/03/2021

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Objective

The main objective of this lab is to study the relation between the velocity of transverse
waves in a wire or cord and the load applied to the wire or cord.

Equipment Used

Electromagnetic vibrator, Board, Pulley, Hooked weights, Cord or wire, Meter stick, Scale

Theory

Velocity of propagation of a transverse wave in a cord or wire is given by:

v=
√ F
μ
… ..(1)

where 𝐹 is the tension force or load applied to the cord or wire and 𝜇 is the length density or
mass per unit length of the cord or wire.

If the cord or wire is fixed at both ends, any transverse waves in the system will be reflected
back and forth from the fixed end points. For resonant frequencies, the oppositely travelling
waves tend to interfere with each other in such a way as to produce standing waves where the
transverse motion of points on the wire causes the wire to appear to vibrate as a whole. This
vibration is characterized by points which remain fixed where the oppositely travelling waves
always cancel, and by points of maximum amplitude where the waves always reinforce. The
first of these points are called nodes, the second antinodes as shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Nodes and antinodes in a wave

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For a resonant standing wave with a node at each end to exist, we must have a whole number
of half waves distributed along the length of the wire between the end nodes. Hence the
length of such waves must be related to the length of the wire by,

nλ
=L … ..(2)
2

2L
λ= …..(3)
n

where 𝜆 is the wave length, 𝐿 is the length of cord or wire measured between the end nodes
and 𝑛 is the number of loops (antinodes) of the vibrating string.

The relation between frequency 𝑓, velocity 𝑣, and wave length 𝜆 is:

v=fλ

v
λ= … ..( 4)
f

Comparing eqs (3) and (4):

2L v
=
n f

2 Lf
v= … ..(5)
n

Comparing eqs (1) and (5):

√ F 2 Lf
μ
=
n
2 2
F 4L f
= 2
μ n

F 1
= ∗4 L2 f 2 … ..(6)
μ n2

1
So, from eq (6) it can be observed that there is a direct relation between F and 2.
n
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Procedure

 We will measure out and weigh 10 meters of cord to, obtain 𝜇, the mass per unit
length.
 Then, we will set up the cord on the apparatus as shown in Figure 2 below and will
measure 𝐿, the distance between the point of connection with the reed and the point of
tangency with the pulley.
 Then, we will load the cord with various weights with the vibrator activated and
observe the appearance of the standing waves.
 Then, we will record the length from the scale reading and regular position of the reed
from the mentioned image and video files in the lab manual.
 Then, we will load the cord with weight sufficient to obtain standing waves from the
first through the fifth harmonic (𝑛=1,2,3,4,5) and will record the load required to
produce each harmonic in tabular form.

Figure 2: Setting up the cord on the apparatus

Data Analysis
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Mass Density μ: 2.28 x 10-4 kg/m

Frequency f = 120Hz

g = 9.8 m/s2

Force of the weights: F = mg

For n = 1, F = 1.49*9.8 = 14.6N

For n = 2, F = 0.372*9.8 = 3.6N

For n = 3, F = 0.166*9.8 = 1.63N

For n = 4, F = 0.093*9.8 = 0.91N

For n = 5, F = 0.059*9.8 = 0.58N

Velocity of the transverse wave using eq (1): v=

√ F
μ

For n = 1, v=
√ 14.6
2.28∗10
− 4 = 253.05 m/s

For n = 2, v=
√ 3.6
2.28∗10− 4
= 125.66 m/s

For n = 3, v=
√ 1.63
2.28∗10− 4
= 84.55 m/s

For n = 4, v=
√ 0.91
2.28∗10
− 4 = 63.18 m/s

For n = 5, v=
√ 0.58
2.28∗10
− 4 = 50.44 m/s

2 Lf
Velocity of the transverse wave using eq (5): v=fλ =
n

2∗1.102∗120
For n = 1, v= = 264.48 m/s
1

2∗1.102∗120
For n = 2, v= = 132.24 m/s
2
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2∗1.102∗120
For n = 3, v= = 88.2 m/s
3

2∗1.102∗120
For n = 4, v= = 66.12 m/s
4

2∗1.102∗120
For n = 5, v= = 52.92 m/s
5

v eq (5)−v eq(1 )
% difference: ∗100
v eq(1)

264.48−253.05
For n = 1, % difference: ∗100 = 4.52%
253.05

132.24−125.66
For n = 2, % difference: ∗100 = 5.24%
125.66

88.2−84.55
For n = 3, % difference : ∗100=4.32 %
84.55

66.12−63.18
For n = 4, % difference: ∗100 = 4.65%
63.18

52.92−50.44
For n = 5, % difference : ∗100=4.92 %
50.44

# of loops Load mass Tension F Lstring Frequency f 2L Velocity %

λ=
n (kg) (N) (Hz) n difference
(m)
(m)

v=√ F / μ v=fλ

1 1.49 14.6 1.102 120 2.204 253.05 264.48 4.52

2 0.372 3.6 1.102 120 1.102 125.66 132.24 5.24

3 0.166 1.63 1.102 120 0.735 84.55 88.2 4.32

4 0.093 0.91 1.102 120 0.551 63.18 66.12 4.65

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5 0.059 0.58 1.102 120 0.441 50.44 52.92 4.92

Table 1

1
Figure 3: F vs 2
n
Slope from the graph: 14.604
1
It can be observed from the graph that there is a direct relation between F and . So, the
n2
relationship established from eq (6) is justified.
Since, we are able to find the effects of added tension on a wavelength, so the graph above in
eq (4) might help in finding an erroneous point in our dataset.

The source of error could be the measurements obtained from the scale reading to record the
length.

Question:

Increasing the tension in a vibrating string leads to increasing the wavelength as per eq (1)
and eq (4).

Conclusion

We performed this lab to study the relation between the velocity of transverse waves in a wire
or cord and the load applied to the wire or cord. We determined the velocity of waves by

calculating the data by using equations v=

√ F
μ
and v=fλ =
2 Lf
n
. Both methods generated the
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similar results with approximately 4% error in between them. All of the necessary results and
error analysis in included in the data analysis section of the report. The answer to the question
given in the manual are included below the data analysis section in the report.