DENEY 3: VELOCITY, WAVELENGTH AND REFRACTION

3.1. DEPENDENCE OF VELOCITY AND WAVELENGTH ON DEPTH OF WATER

TOOLS
 Ripple tank
 Wave generator
 Circular and plane wave exciter apparatus
 Plexiglass

2.1.1. OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT

Observing how the velocity and wavelength values of water waves change for
different depths in the ripple tank.

2.1.1. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

a. Place a rectangular plexiglass plate in the ripple tank.

b. Adjust the depth of the water surface to be filled so that it is slightly above the
plexiglass plate.
c. After carefully adjusting the wave generator and wave basin, apply a generator
frequency of 18-25 Hz.
d. Adjust the wave generator amplitude so that a clear wave pattern emerges.
e. Measure the distance between the two wave crests as far apart as possible, inside and
outside the area of the plaxiglass plate, using a ruler.
f. Fill in the table below and interpret the results.

Table 2. Frequency, wavelength, phase velocity for deep water and shallow water.

f (Hz) λ (cm) c (cm/s)

Deep water
Shallow water

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3.2. REFRACTION OF WATER WAVES

TOOLS
 Ripple tank
 Wave generator
 Circular and plane wave exciter apparatus
 Plexiglass

2.1.1. OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT

Observing the velocities of water waves in different mediums. To learn and examine
the concept of refraction on water waves that change medium.

3.2.2. EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE

Since the propagation speed of the waves depends on the properties of the medium
they are in, the waves that change medium also change their direction. The change of
direction of the waves coming to the interface separating the medium from another
medium is called refraction. The refraction of a plane wave is shown in Figure 1. As
water waves pass from a deep medium to a shallow medium, or from a shallow
medium to a deep medium, their wavelengths and velocity change. In deep medium,
velocity and wavelength are large, refraction is small. In shallow medium, velocity and
wavelength are small, refraction is large.

Figure 1. Refraction of plane wave

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The relation between the wavelengths, the angle of incidence  and the angle of reflection , is as
follows.

𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼 λ (1)
=
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛽 λ

Bu noktadan hareketle, derin sudaki faz hızı, sığ sudaki faz hızı olmak üzeredalga
hızlarının oranı aşağıdaki şekilde bulunur. Based on the above expression, the ratio of
phase velocities in deep water and shallow water, can be found as follows.
c λ
n = = ()
c λ
Where c and c are the phase velocity in deep water and shallow water, respetively.

2.1.1. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

a. Adjust the frequency to a value between 20-25 Hz using a plane wave apparatus.
b. Place the plexiglass plate in a tilted position against the wavefronts in the ripple tank
to ensure refraction.
c. Fill the ripple tank with water so that the plate is completely under the water and a thin
layer of water remains on it.
d. Draw the refraction pattern on the front screen on paper.
e. Calculate the ratio of refractive indices (n ) when moving from deep water to shallow
water.

3.3. QUESTIONS

1. Derive Snell's law mathematically.

2. Make the intermediate steps to derive equation (2) from equation (1).
3. Define refraction.
4. Define diffraction.
5. Define dispersion.
6. Do the density of the medium in which the waves travel and the index of
refraction correspond to the same concept? Can a mathematical relationship be
established between them? Please explain in detail.
7. When waves change medium, they change speed and direction due to
which? Density of the medium or refractive index.

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8. Can the refraction phenomenon be expressed with the same equations for
electromagnetic waves and water waves?
9. Why do water waves propagate faster in deep medium?
10. In Figure 2, how do plane water waves produced by the S source propagate?
Since the depth of the medium is constant, what can be said about the frequency
and wavelength of the water waves?

Figure 2. Plane wavefronts

11. Plexiglasses are placed inclined in the ripple tank as given in Figure 3. What do the
water waves from the wave generator look like when viewed from the top of ripple
tank? (Show the wavefronts as a line and draw the distances between the
wavelengths.)

Figure 3. Inclined plexiglasses

12. Define phase.
13. Define phase difference.
14. Figure 4 shows the water waves produced from sources A and B. Define the
period, frequency, wavelength values and phase differences of the waves.
(Assume the width of each small square is 0.5 cm and the pulses move 1 small
square in 1 second.)

Figure 4. Waves produced by different sources

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