Vibrating Strings

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Apparatus:

Sonometer with a movable bridge, Magnadur magnets and yoke, 1kg mass holder, long wires, two 0.5kg masses, two 1kg masses, two 2kg masses, audio frequency generator, two crocodile clips, metre rule, frequency meter.

Diagram:

Procedure:

1. Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram.

Note the positions of the crocodile clips and the fact that the low impedance / loudspeaker output of the audio frequency oscillator (AFO) is used.

2. Initially, hang a mass, m = 3kg from the sonometer wire in order to produce a tension,in the wire. Place the movable bridges so that length, L is about 30cm. Measure this length and keep it constant throughout the experiment.

3. Set the output of the AFO to 250Hz sinusoidal. The AFO acts as an a.c. power supply causing an alternating current to flow along the sonometer wire. Place the magnadur magnets half-way between the movable bridges. With the magnets in place, the motor effect results in the wire vibrating at the same frequency as the a.c., initially 250Hz.

4. Adjust the AFO frequency control and find the lowest frequency that causes the wire to resonate (usually around 200 Hz with a tension of 30N).

This is the fundamental frequency,of the wire for the conditions chosen. Measure this frequency, fo on the frequency meter (which you should connect across the AFO output).

5. Repeat stage three for five masses, m between 1.0kg and 7.0kg, tensions between 10N and 70N.

6. At the resonant frequency, the length,is equal to half of the wavelength of the progressive waves that make up the stationary wave on the wire.

Use the wave equationto calculate the speed of the progressive waves for all the cases above and hence produce a results table that includes the above plus the square of the wave speed.