Students gain insight and understanding behind the nature and characteristics of waves. The relationship between frequency and period, as well as velocity, are explored. As a finale, students calculate the speed of sound with a simple variation of this experiment.
Students generate waves on a piece of elastic string that is fixed at both ends.
Using a Wave Function Generator and a Mechanical Vibrator, students slowly vary the frequency and view the resulting wave patterns. At integer multiples of this frequency, nodes will appear, and the string will be subdivided into smaller standing waves. This is an excellent, hands-on approach to exhibiting the constructive and destructive behavior of waves. Once a student has an idea how the waves are behaving on the piece of string, the student moves to the next phase of the exploration, which involves use of the CBL or MBL units. The microphone probe is used, and placed at one end of a length of tubing.