EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE TRANSVERSE WAVES

THEORETICAL APPROACH
When mechanical waves are confined in space, as they are with a piano string
or an organ pipe, there are reflections at both ends, and waves travel in both directions.
They combine according to the general law of wave interference. For a given system
(string, pipe, tube, etc.) there are certain frequencies for which the interference results
in a stationary vibration pattern called a standing wave. The study of standing waves
has many applications in the field of music and in nearly all areas of science and
technology. We shall first consider standing waves in a stretched string, which are
easily visualized. We shall then consider the longitudinal standing waves excited in
spring.
Only solid media are capable to transmit transverse mechanical waves. For a
1D medium (a tensioned string), the differential equation describing the propagation of
transverse waves gives that:
 2   2 1  2
=  2 = 2 2
x 2 F t v t
(1)
where (x, t) is the transverse deformation of the string, F is the force which tensions
F
the string, u is the linear density (mass per unit length) of the string and v = is the

speed of transverse waves along a string. The solution of the equation (1) considers
both the progressive and reverse waves:
( x , t ) = p + r = A  sin( t + x ) + A  sin( t + kx +  )
and (2)
( x , t ) = 2  A  sin kx  cost = A( x )  cost
The amplitude A( x) = 2  A  sin kx is constant in time for a fixed x, and for certain
frequencies of the mechanical oscillation (for the eigen frequencies of the oscillating
system). A minimum value, A(x) = 0 corresponds to the nodes positions, for which
k  x = n   and thus:
 
x = n = n
(n = 1, 2, ... ).
k 2
The maximum values of the amplitude A(x) correspond to the antinodes, where
 
Amax = 2 A , for k  x = (2  n + 1)  , or x = (2  n + 1) 
2 4
One has to remark that the energy of standing waves remains stationary, it
cannot be transmitted across the nodes, which do not vibrate. The fixed end of the
string is certainly a node. Standing wave patterns such as those shown in figure 1 are
produced at certain frequencies of the mechanical oscillations, the eigen
(characteristic, proper) frequencies of the string. The lowest frequency f1 is called the
fundamental frequency. It produces the fundamental mode of vibration, or else, the first
harmonic. Twice the fundamental frequency, or the second harmonic f2 produces the
pattern shown in figure 1-b, and so on.

Fig.1
Fig.2
The resonance frequencies (fn) are related to the wave velocity in the string (v) and to
the length of the string (L):
n
L = n and
2
v v
fn =  n =
n fn
resulting that:
v F
fn = n  and since the wave velocity is v = , then the fundamental frequency of
2L 
the stretched string is:
v 1 F
f1 = = 
2L 2L 
where F is the tension in the string and  is the linear density (mass per unit length) of
the string.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP AND PROCEDURE

The string is laid between a fixed hook and a mass m which hangs at the other
end. The geometrical proper ties (L- the length, d - the diameter of the wire and  - the
Fig.2
mass density of the material which the string is made of). A magnet piece excites the
transverse oscillations at a point of the string, due to the alternative electrical signal
sent along the string. The terminals of a variable frequency generator are connected to
the ends of the string. (see figure 2).
The problems to follow are:
- to measure the fundamental frequency f1 of the string and to observe its
dependence on the force which tensions the string by tensing the wire with two different
masses.
- to measure the superior harmonic frequencies (f2, f3 and f4) and the
corresponding wavelengths of the standing waves for each mass.
- to compare the theoretical frequencies to the experimental values obtained.
 Data are to be recorded in the Data Table below.

Data Table
m T n n fn-theoretical fn-exp vexp ve/ve
(kg) (N) - (m) (Hz) (Hz) (m/s) (%)
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4

Data processing:
- the tension in the string: F = m  g
- the theoretical value of transverse waves velocity:
F
vt =

2L
- the wavelength of standing waves: n =
n
- the experimental velocity of standing transverse waves:

ve = n.fn
- the relative deviations:
ve L f
= +
ve L f
vt d 1  m g  
= +   + + 
vt d 2  m g  

where d = the diameter of the wire; m = the mass of the body hang at the end of the
string; g = the acceleration of gravity and  = the density of the material.