Experiment No.

Supplement
Manual
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 1/5
Understanding of Standing Wave Resonance Modes and
Wave Propagation Velocity on the Stretched String
1. Objective
Understanding the standing wave characteristics of a string fixed at both ends occurring from a sonometer device. Also calculating
the wave speed of the string by measuring the change of the strings frequency while changing the strings density and tension.
2. Theory
(1) The speed of waves on strings
Fig. 1 The wave passing through the string.

We can imagine the wave passing through the string as a part
of a circle as in the Fig. 1. If we assume that the line has a
uniform density j, then for a length .| of the string we can
have the following relation for .: of the mass:
.: j.| 2jI0.
If we apply Newtons Law along the radial direction of .:, and
find the force of the same direction for Tension T, we can find:
F
c

I
.:
2

I
2jI0
2
21sin0
When 0 is small, the speed of a wave passing a string is

j
1
. (Eq. 1)
(2) Standing waves
Fig. 2 Incident pulse and reflect pulse at the fixed end.
Wave transmission and reflection occur at the medium boundary
of the wave. When the medium (string) is fixed at its end, and
a pulse enters the string, then reflected wave at the fixed end
of the string changes its phase by as in the Fig 2.
When a sinwave enters a string fixed at both ends, two sin
waves traveling the opposite direction superpose each other
which creates constructive interference as follows:
j
1
Asin(/r - nt)
j
2
Asin(/r -nt)
j j
1
-j
2
2Asin/rcosnt
(Eq. 2)
j is not a function of (/r - nt), so it is not a traveling wave
expression, but it is a simple harmonic wave with an amplitude
of 2Asin/r. Here, every point in the medium has the same
circular frequency ., and the amplitude changes according to
the position of r which follows 2Asin/r.
(3) Standing waves in a string fixed at both ends
Fig. 3 The standing wave on the string fixed at both ends.
Since both ends of the string is fixed, a node must be made,
and the standing wave will occur when the below boundary
condition is satisfied. The relation between the length of the
string and the natural modes wave length will be as so:
`
n

n
2L
n 1, 2, 8

Experiment No. Supplement

Manual
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 2/5
Fig. 4 The standing waves on the string fixed at both ends with
different modes.
Generally, a wave satisfies the relation ]

, so the natural
modes frequency will be ]
n

`
n

2L

, and if we substitute
Eq. 1 in, we get
]
n

2L
n

j
1
n 1, 2, 8,

(Eq. 3).

Experiment No. Supplement
Manual
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 3/5
3. Experimental Instruments
Items Amount Usage Arrange
Sonometer base with tension
lever
1 set Makes stretched strings with different tension.
Place at the center of the
experiment table.
Wires 3 ea.
Makes stretched strings with different linear mass
densities.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Bridges 2 ea. Makes stretched strings with different string length. Place on the sonometer.
Hanging mass 1 set Applies tension on a stretched string.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Driver coil 1 ea.
Generates waves on the stretched string with different
frequency.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Detector coil 1 ea.
Measures the resonance frequency of standing waves
on the stretched strings.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
BNC adaptor 1 ea
Connects the detector coil to the voltage sensor
cable.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Voltage sensor cable 1 ea
Connects the detector and the voltage sensor cable
to SW750.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Computer 1 set Acquires and analyzes data.
Place at the center of the
experiment table.
Science Workshop
750 interface
(SW750)
1 set
Sends generation signals to the driver coil and
receives frequency information from the detector coil.
Place at the center of the
experiment table.
SW750
-to-power adaptor &
connection cable
1 ea. Supplies power to SW750.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
USB cable 1 ea. Connects SW750 to a computer.
Place inside the basket of the
experiment table.
Experiment No. Supplement
Manual
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 4/5
4. Experimental Procedures
(1) Setting the sonometer
1) Choose one of the strings and place the brass string retainer
in the slot on the tension lever. Never press the tension lever
with strong pressure. Loosen the string adjustment screw and
place the crimped lug that is attached to the other end of the
string. Tighten the string adjustment screw until the tension
lever hangs level.
2) Place bridges on the sonometer base in any distance to
determine the length of string.
3) Hanging the mass from the tension lever to apply the
desired tension, then adjust the string adjustment screw as
needed so that tension lever is level. The string tension is
determined as shown in the below figure. If you hang a mass
"M" from one of the level lever, the tension of string is equal
to Mg. g is gravitational constant 9.$0 (m,s
2
). If you hang the
mass from slot two, the tension is equal to 2Mg.
4) Place the drive coil about cmfrom one of the bridges and
place the detector coil near the center of string. Connect the
two plugs on the drive coil to the "output" of SW750. Connect
the voltage sensor, BNC adaptor and drive coil output. Connect
the voltage sensor cable to channel A.
5) Start the Data Studio program. In the Experiment Setup
window, click-and-drag the analog sensor plug icon to channel
A. Select "Sound Sensor" from the list of sensors. To view the
data, click-and-drag a Scope display to the Sound Sensor icon.
Set the function generator to produce a sine wave. Slowly vary
the frequency of the function generator output. When you reach
a resonance frequency, you can see the motion of string and
hear the sound produced by the vibrating string.
Note : The driven frequency of the signal sensor may not be
the frequency at which the wire is vibrating. By overlaying the
driving frequency and vibrating frequency, you can see the
vibrating frequency is a multiple of the driving frequency.
Experiment No. Supplement
Manual
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 5/5
(2) Measurement of the resonance frequencies
1) Setup the sonometer with the wire1 (j
1
0.001$8 kg,m),
tension 1
1
Mq N, and L
1
0.00 m.
2) Slowly increase the frequency of the signal to the driver coil.
Listen for an increase in the volume of the sound from the
sonometer and/or an increase in the size of the detector signal
on the screen. Frequencies that result in maximum string
vibration are resonant frequencies. Determine the lowest
frequency at which the resonance occurs. This is resonance in
the first, or fundamental, mode. Measure this frequency and
record it.
3) Continue increasing the frequency to find the second and
third successive resonant frequencies. Record the resonance
frequency for each mode.
4) Change the string length L
2
0.0 m, by moving one of
bridges, and find the second successive resonant frequency.
Record the resonance frequency.
5) Change the string length L
8
0.40 :, by moving one of
bridges, and find the second successive resonant frequency.
Record the resonance frequency.
6) Change the tension to 1
2
8Mq N, and the string length to
L
1
0.00 :. Repeat the resonance frequency measurement
procedure from 2) ~ 5).
7) Change the tension to 1
1
Mq N, and the string length to
L
1
0.00 m. Repeat the resonance frequency measurement
procedure from 2) ~ 5).
8) Setup the sonometer with the wire2 (j
2
0.00112 kg,m),
tension 1
1
Mq N, and L
1
0.00 m. Find the second
successive resonant frequency. Record the resonance frequency.
9) Change the string length L
2
0.0 m, by moving one of
bridges, and find the second successive resonant frequency.
Record the resonance frequency.
10) Change the string length L
8
0.40 m, by moving one of
bridges, and find the second successive resonant frequency.
Record the resonance frequency.
11) Change the tension to 1
2
8Mq N, and the string length
to L
1
0.00 m. Repeat resonance frequency measurement
procedure from 9) ~ 10).
12) Change the tension to 1
8
Mq N, and the string length to
L
1
0.00 m. Repeat resonance frequency measurement
procedure from 9) ~ 10).
13) Setup sonometer with the wire3 (j
8
0.00089 kg,m),
tension 1
1
Mq N, and L
1
0.00 m. Repeat resonance
frequency measurement procedure from 9) ~ 10).
Experiment No. Supplement
Preliminary Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 1/1
Understanding of the Standing Wave Resonance Mode and Speed on the
Stretched String
Student's
Mentioned
Items
Student ID Major Name Team Experiment Date
Lecturer Submission Place Submission Time
Lab D, E, F, 2nd Floor,
College of Engineering #2 Building
Students should write the Preliminary Reports in terms of the following sections and complete it by adding contents to the
attached papers. Contents of the Preliminary Reports should be written by hand, and not by a word processor. Attaching copied
figures and tables to the report is allowed. The Completed Preliminary Reports should be submitted to the Experiment Lecturer in the
laboratory at the beginning of the Experiment Class.
Section Note
1. Objective
2. Theory
General Physics Laboratory - Manuals and the following Chapters of Supplement can
be used as references when writing the Theory and Experiment sections.
Ch. 15 "Waves"
3. Experiment
4. Reference
Lecturer's
Mentioned
Items
Submission Place/Time Check Preliminary Report Points Evaluation Completion Sign
15
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 1/10
Understanding of the Standing Wave Resonance Mode and Speed on the
Stretched String
Student's
Mentioned
Items
Student ID Major Name Team Experiment Date
Lecturer Submission Place Submission Time
Introductory Physics Office
Report Box #
Students should write the Result Report in terms of the following sections and complete it by filling the Result and Discussions
and Solutions of Problems. Contents of the Result Reports should be written by hand, not by a word processor. Attaching copied
figures and tables to the report is allowed. The Completed Result Reports should be submitted to the place and at the time
specified by Experiment Lecturers
Section Note
1. Experimental Values
During the Experiment Class, students should measure and calculate the experimental
values except for complicated tables or graphs in the Experimental Values section.
2. Results & Discussions
Students should complete the Result Reports by finishing the complicated tables or
graphs that were omitted in the Experiment Class and adding the Results and
Discussions section. Completed Result Reports should be submitted to the place and
at the time specified by Experiment Lecturers.
3. Solutions of Problems
If Problems in Result Reports are assigned, students should complete the Result
Reports by adding Solutions of the Problems.
4. Reference
Lecturer's
Mentioned
Items
Submission Place/Time Check Result Report Points Evaluation Completion Sign
40
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 2/10
1. Experimental Values
(1) Measurement of the resonance frequency of a stretched strings
Mass of the hanging mass (/q)
Linear
density
of the
string
j
(kg,m)
Tension
1
(N)
Length of
the string
L
(m)
Number
of
anti-
nodes
n
Wave
length
`
n

n
2L
(m)
Driven
frequency
]
dri.
(Hz)
Resonance
frequency
]
n
2 ]
dri.
(Hz)
Speed of wave
Experimental
`
n
]
n
(m,s)
Reference

j
1
(m,s)
Wire 1
(0.022)
j
1

0.001$4
1
1

Mq
L
1
0.00
1
2
8
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
2

8 Mq
L
1
0.00
1
2
8
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
8

1 Mq
L
1
0.00
1
2
8
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 3/10
Linear
density
of the
string
j
(kg,m)
Tension
1
(N)
Length
of the
string
L
(m)
Number
of
anti-
nodes
n
Wave
length
`
n

n
2L
(m)
Driven
frequency
]
dri.
(Hz)
Resonance
frequency
]
n
2 ]
dri.
(Hz)
Speed of wave
Experimental
`
n
]
n
(m,s)
Reference

j
1
(m,s)
Wire 2
(0.017)
j
2

0.00112
1
1

Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
2

8Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
8

1Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
Linear
density
of the
string
j
(kg,m)
Tension
1
(N)
Length
of the
string
L
(m)
Number
of
anti-
nodes
n
Wave
length
`
n

n
2L
(m)
Driven
frequency
]
dri.
(Hz)
Resonance
frequency
]
n
2 ]
dri.
(Hz)
Speed of wave
Experimental
`
n
]
n
(m,s)
Reference

j
1
(m,s)
Wire 3
(0.010)
j
8

0.00089
1
1

Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
2

8Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
1
8

1Mq
L
1
0.00 2
L
2
0.0 2
L
8
0.40 2
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 4/10
(2). Analysis plots
a). Resonance frequency vs Number of anti-nodes
j
1
0.001$4 (kg,m), and L
1
0.00 (m)
Tension 1 (N) 1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Number of anti-nodes
n
1 2 8 1 2 8 1 2 8
Resonance frequency
]
n
(Hz)

1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Slope (Hz)
r-intercept
j-intercept (Hz)
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 5/10
b). Resonance frequency vs the inverse of the string length.
j
1
0.001$4 (kg,m), and n 2
Tension 1 (N) 1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Length of a string
L (m)
L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40 L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40 L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40
Inverse of length

L
1
(m
- 1
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Slope (Hzm)
r-intercept (m
- 1
)
j-intercept (Hz)
1
1
Mq (N) and n 2
Linear density of the
string j (kg,m)
j
1
0.001$4 j
2
0.00112 j
8
0.00089
Length of the string
L (m)
L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40 L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40 L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40
Inverse of length

L
1
(m
- 1
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

j
1
j
2
j
8
Slope (Hzm)
r-intercept (m
- 1
)
j-intercept (Hz)

Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 6/10
c). Resonance frequency vs square root of tension on the string
j
1
0.001$4 (kg,m), and n 2.
Length of the string
L (m)
L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40
Tension 1 (N)
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
Square root of Tension

1 (N
1,2
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

L
1
L
2
L
8
Slope (Hz,N
1,2
)
r-intercept (N
1,2
)
j-intercept (Hz)
L
1
0.00 (m) and n 2.
Linear density of the
string j (kg,m)
j
1
0.001$4 j
2
0.00112 j
8
0.00089
Tension 1 (N)
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
1
1

Mq
1
2

8Mq
1
8

Mq
Square root of Tension

1 (N
1,2
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

j
1
j
2
j
8
Slope (Hz,N
1,2
)
r-intercept (N
1,2
)
j-intercept (Hz)

Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 7/10
d). Resonance frequency vs inverse of square root of the linear density of the string
1
1
Mq (N), and n 2.
Length of the string
L (m)
L
1
0.00 L
2
0.0 L
8
0.40
Linear density of the
string j (kg,m)
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
Inverse of square root
of linear density

j
1

(m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

L
1
L
2
L
8
Slope
(Hz,m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
r-intercept
(m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
j-intercept (Hz)
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 8/10
L
1
0.00 (m) and n 2.
Tension 1 (N) 1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Linear density of the
string j (kg,m)
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
j
1

0.001$4
j
2

0.00112
j
8

0.00089
Inverse of square root
of linear density

j
1

(m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
Resonance frequency
]
2
(Hz)

1
1
Mq 1
2
8Mq 1
8
Mq
Slope
(Hz,m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
r-intercept
(m
1,2
kg
- 1,2
)
j-intercept (Hz)
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 9/10
e). Experimental wave velocity vs reference wave velocity

Slope
r-intercept (m,s)
j-intercept (m,s)
Experiment No. Supplement
Result Report
1 - 8 Ch. 15
Introductory Physics Office, Dept. of Physics, Korea Univ. (Last Update : 2012-05-09) PAGE 10/10
2. Results and Discussions (This page should be used as the first page of Results and Discussions section. If the contents of Results
and Discussions exceed this page, additional contents should be written by attaching papers. Contents of Results and Discussions
should be written by hand, and not by a word processor. Attaching copied figures and tables to the report is allowed.)