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Title: Sound waves

Aim: To determine the speed of sound of a stationary wave using harmonics

Apparatus/Materials:
 Tuning fork ( different frequencies )
 500 ml / 100 ml measuring cylinder
 PVC pipe
 Marker
 Metre rule
 Vernier caliper
Diagram:

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Principle/Theory:
A sound wave is a longitudinal wave in which the wave oscillates along the direction of
propagation. For a traveling wave of speed v, frequency f, and wavelength λ, the
following relationship holds.
v = fλ

Procedure:

1. A measuring cylinder was filled with water to the highest graduation mark
2. A piece of PVC pipe was calibrated using a piece of marker .
3. The PVC pipe was placed into the water which created an opening and closing
end in the pipe .
4. The room temperature was recorded for reference .
5. A tuning fork of know frequency was held by its handle and stroke against a
wooden block or within a piece of rubber .
6. The vibrating tuning fork was align so that the tines are horizontal near the top of
the tube but not touching the tube .
7. The tube was moved slowly up and down in the water until it resonates at the
point of maximum sound intensity .
8. The distance from the top of the resonance tube to the top of the water (L) was
measured and recorded .
9. The diameter of the resonance tube was measured and recorded .
10. Steps 4-7 were repeated to find the third harmonic and the reading were
recorded.
11. The experiment was carried out three times to ensure precision .
12. The experiment was repeated using two other frequencies below 1000 Hz.The
frequency of the sound (f) was that of the tuning fork .

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Observations/Results:

λ 3λ Wavelength Velocity
First Harmonic 4 Third Harmonic
Tuning 4 (m) (ms-1)
fork 1 2 3 AVG 1 2 3 AVG
(Hz)
384 G 21 22 21 21 55 52 53 53 0.774 297
512 C 16 21 16 20 45 39 45 41 0.827 352.6
426.7 19 19 19 22 55 60 60 58 0.674 345
A

TABLE SHOWING THE FREQUENCY OF THE TUNING FORK AND THEIR

CORRESPONDING WAVELENGHT.

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Calculations:

Frequency of 384 Hz
First Harmonic
λ
=4 cm
4

λ=21 cm× 4=84 cm

Third Harmonic
3λ
=53 cm
4

53 cm× 4
=70.7 cm
3

70.7 cm+ 84 cm
Average Wavelength = =77.4 cm or 0.774 m
2

Speed of sound = f × λ

v=384 Hz ×0.774 m

V=297 ms-1

Frequency of 426.7 Hz
First Harmonic
λ
=22 cm
4

λ=22 cm× 4=88 cm

Third Harmonic

3λ
=58 cm
4

58 cm× 4
=77.3 cm
3

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77.3 cm+88 cm
Average Wavelength = =82.7 cm or 0.827 m
2

Speed of sound = f × λ

v=426.7 Hz × 0.827 m

V=352.6 ms-1

Frequency of 512 Hz
First Harmonic
λ
=20 cm
4

λ=20 cm× 4=80 cm

Third Harmonic

3λ
=41 cm
4

41 cm× 4
=54.7cm
3

57.4 cm+80 cm
Average Wavelength = =67.4 cm or 0.674 m
2

Speed of sound = f × λ

v=512 Hz × 0.674 m

V= 345 ms-1

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Discussion:
The theoretical concept of this experiment is Resonance .The definition of Resonance in
physics is a phenomenon in which an external force or a vibrating system forces another
system around it to vibrate with greater amplitude at a specified frequency of operation.
The frequency at which the second body starts oscillating or vibrating at higher amplitude
is called the resonant frequency of the body. The best examples of resonance can be
observed in various musical instruments around us.
Whenever any person hits, strikes, strums, drums or tweaks any musical instrument, the
instrument is set into oscillation or vibration at the natural frequency of vibration of the
instrument. A unique standing wave pattern defines each frequency of vibration as
specific instrument. These natural frequencies of a musical instrument are known widely
as the harmonics of the specified instrument. If a second interconnected object or
instrument vibrates or oscillates at that specified frequency then the first object can be
forced to vibrate at a frequency higher that its natural harmonic frequency. This
phenomenon is known as resonance i.e. one object vibrating or oscillating at the natural
frequency of another object forces the other object to vibrate at a frequency higher than
its natural frequency.
One characteristic of every standing wave pattern is that there are points along the
medium that appear to be standing still. These points, sometimes described as points of
no displacement, are referred to as nodes. There are other points along the medium that
undergo vibrations between a large positive and large negative displacement. These are
the points that undergo the maximum displacement during each vibrational cycle of the
standing wave. In a sense, these points are the opposite of nodes, and so they are called
antinodes. A standing wave pattern always consists of an alternating pattern of nodes and
antinodes. A node will exist at the surface of the water and an anti-node will occur just
above the open end of the resonance tube.
Standing wave, also called stationary wave, combination of two waves moving in
opposite directions, each having the same amplitude and frequency. The phenomenon is
the result of interference—that is, when waves are superimposed, their energies are either
added together or cancelled out.
Temperature is also a condition that affects the speed of sound. Molecules at higher
temperatures have more energy, thus they can vibrate faster. Since the molecules vibrate
faster, sound waves can travel more quickly. The speed of sound in room temperature air
is 346 meters per second.
In this experiment a tuning fork was held by hand just above the open end of the tube.
When the tuning fork was struck by a rubber hammer, it vibrated and sound waves were
generated. These sound waves travel down the tube and are reflected upon reaching the

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surface of the water. The incoming and reflected waves interfere and form standing
waves. The sound waves reflected from the water surface change their phase by 180° and
therefore are completely out of phase with the incident sound waves. In other words, the
amplitude of the standing waves must be zero at the water's surface. This point in space is
usually referred to as a node. If a resonance condition is met, the open end of the tube has
maximum amplitude of standing sound waves and is called an anti-node.

Conclusion:
It can be concluded that the speed of a stationary waves can be using simple harmonics .
The speed of the waves at a frequency of 384 Hz was found to be 297ms-1 . the speed of
the wave a at a frequency of 426.8 Hz was found to be 352. 6 ms-1 . The speed of the
wave at a frequency of 512 Hz was found to be 345 ms-1

Reflection:
Sound waves can be used in many ways throughout our daily lives for example : Sound
waves are used in medicine , or some patients, the use of X-rays is too dangerous, and
other imaging techniques are needed. In the case of pre-natal care for pregnant women,
ultrasound imaging is used to keep track of the developing fetus. An ultrasound machine
emits a very high-frequency sound wave that is reflected back from different tissues
within the body. The density of the tissue affects the way the wave bounces back, and the
ultrasound machine is specially programmed to read these differences to create an
image.Ultrasonography creates a blurrier image than X-rays, but it is not as potentially
harmful. Another advantage of ultrasound is that it can show differences in soft tissue. X-
rays are used for harder tissues.Ultrasonography is important to medicine because it can
be used diagnostically and therapeutically. Focused sound waves can be used to clean

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your teeth, to break up a cloudy film called a cataract that can cover the lens of your eye,
and even to break up gallstones and kidney stones.

Sound waves are also used in  for cleaning delicate instruments by vibrating the cleaning
liquid at a high frequency. Ultrasonic waves are also used for detecting flaws and cracks
in metal. Much like an ultrasound, this process works by sending a signal and then
waiting for the waves to bounce back. Each material has a different return time. Using
these return times, scientists are able to detect where the cracks and flaws are located.

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