Lab 12: Mechanical Waves

Lab 12: Mechanical Waves

For lab 12 we experimented with waves, specifically the mechanical waves generated by pulses. To do this we hooked a frequency generator and a mechanical wave oscillator to a string and pulled the string taunt to monitor how the frequency of the generator affected how many nodes and anti-nodes were generated. To summarize, a node is a point where the two differing waves cancel each other out and seem to have no displacement, while an anti-node is maximum point of the wave’s generated path. These points are then used to calculate the wavelength of the wave, allowing it to be measured and predicted.

 

We were tasked with finding if there was a relationship between the Node Node and Node Anti node patterns and finding out if they act the same way as the transverse standing waves? a Node Node pattern is when the wave on the string begins and ends on a node, while a Node Anti node pattern is when it starts or ends with an Anti-node and ends with the opposite. we first experimented with the transverse wave, noting the wavelength of the wave as the hertz was increased. our data was as follows.

This data showed us that the nodes and wavelengths increased as time went off, with a few outlier's until we hit 32 hertz where the total wavelengths dropped and then began to increase again. 

We then repeated the experiment with a spring instead of a rope to better measure the node patterns in them with more accuracy. We found that the nodes pattern would alternate every 5 hertz increase. As we experimented higher and higher we noticed that the number of nodes and anti-nodes would increase, this gives us the impression that the two systems are very similarity, which makes sense as they rely on the same drivers and functionality. 

Problems:

There were a few margins for error in our experiments that need to be accounted for. Firstly our equipment had occasional problems achieving the correct speed, leading to some puzzling readings which are why we do not have any data pictures for the second part. Additionally we have the traditional human error problems for input, and may have added in unknown outside problems due to treatment of the machines or how they were placed.