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CONCLUSION
A transverse wave is a wave in which particles of the medium move in a
direction perpendicular to the direction that the wave moves. Transverse waves are
always characterized by particle motion being perpendicular to wave motion. The
experiment shows a standing wave where a standing wave pattern is a vibrational
pattern created within a medium when the vibrational frequency of the source
causes reflected waves from one end of the medium to interfere with incident
waves from the source.
The experiment has showed that the tension of a string affects the frequency
and number of segments yielded by the string which also tends to be
correspondingly dependent on the linear mass density of the string.
Based on the results in the experiment, it clearly shows that the tension is
directly proportional to the frequency and inversely proportional to the number of
segments. As tension increases, frequency also increases. As tension increases,
number of segments decreases. This can be denoted by the formulas:
1 𝑇 𝑛 𝑇
𝑓 = √ 𝑓 = √
λ μ 2L μ
Furthermore, the second part of the experiment shows the relationship of the
diameter of the string, its linear mass density to the number of segments and
frequency. As linear mass density increases, number of segments increases and
frequency decreases. Therefore, linear mass density is directly proportional to
number of segments and inversely proportional to frequency. The formula in the
manual was the same to the data gathered.
Sources of error were wrong measurement of the length of the total number
of segments since you cannot place the meter stick near the string for it will affect
the movement of the wave. In addition, we must count the number of segment after
it passes the stylus because the stylus is affected by the clip that connects the string
vibrator to the stylus. Two, we must also consider the measurement of the length of
string with complete number of segment. Last, we must check the different
relationship of frequency to the segment, tension, linear mass density and length.
Experiment 108: Transverse Wave – Frequency of Vibration
ANALYSIS
Introduction
A transverse wave is a moving wave that consists of oscillations occurring
perpendicular (or right angled) to the direction of energy transfer. If a transverse
wave is moving in the horizontal direction, its oscillations are in up and down
directions that lie in the y–z plane.
A ripple on a pond and a wave on a string are easily visualized transverse
waves. Transverse waves cannot propagate in a gas or a liquid because there is no
mechanism for driving motion perpendicular to the propagation of the wave.
Materials
So setting up the experiment, the materials used were 1piece of string
vibrator, 1 piece of sine wave generator, 2 pieces of iron stand with clamp, 1 piece
of pulley, 1 set of weights, 1 mass hanger, 1 piece extension cord, 1 piece meter
stick and 5 pieces of guitar string.
For the first part of the experiment, we set up the apparatus by connecting
the sine wave generator to the string vibrator and then attached a guitar string that
will be used for the five trials here in part one. A constant frequency was set by
adjusting the amplitude and the frequency of the sine wave generator. We then
attained a constant frequency of 119 Hz.
For the second part, a constant diameter of guitar string of 0.010 inches was
used having a linear mass density of 0.0039 g/cm. The changing factor or the
variable factor here is the mass at the end of the string that is pulling it to have
clearer vision of the wave, also known as the tension. At first, we placed a weight
on the mass hanger with tension of 98,068 dynes and turned on the sine wave
generator. We adjusted the amplitude to see the waves better and count the
segment created. There are a variety of patterns by which the guitar string could
naturally vibrate; each pattern is associated with one of the natural frequencies of
the guitar strings. We counted 5 segments most and length of 58 cm. Using the
formula shown below, we computed for the experimental value of frequency of the
first trial in the experiment t and did the same thing for the remaining trials.
𝑛 𝑇
𝑓 = √
2L μ
The time required for a point on the wave to make a complete oscillation
through the axis is called the period of the wave motion, and the number of
oscillations executed per second is called the frequency. Wavelength is considered
to be the distance between corresponding points on the wave—i.e., the distance
between two adjacent peaks or troughs of the wave. Transverse waves may also be
complex, in which the curves representing them are composed of two or more sine
or cosine curves.
Results
From the data, we got an average frequency of 122.28 Hz. And using the
formula of percentage error, we obtained roughly 4 % of error. We attained 1.71%
error in the experiment. And as observed, as the tension increases, the number of
segments decreases and frequency increases. This is because tension is inversely
proportional to the number of segments but directly proportional to the frequency
For the part three of the experiment, the constant factor is the weight or the
tension that will be used and still, the frequency which is 122 Hz. We used the
mass of 110g + 5g of the mass hanger and that will have a tension of 107, 874
g/cm. The changing factor here or the variable is the guitar string. The relationship
of the number of segment, the length of the string with the total segments, linear
mass density, and frequency were being examined.
Lev A. Ostrovsky & Alexander I. Potapov (2001). Modulated waves: theory and
application. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-7325-8.
Louis Lyons (1998). All you wanted to know about mathematics but were afraid to
ask. Cambridge University Press. pp. 128 ff. ISBN 0-521-43601-X.