YAMBAO, Monn Juleuse F.

mjfyambao@gmail.com

E303: Transverse Wave: Frequency of Vibration




METHODOLOGY
Two experiments were done last time due to
some circumstances that made the class to lack
time and to be late compared to the official class
syllabus. The students were able to accomplished
the job by equally dividing the time into two. The
first experiment was about Kundts tube; as soon
as the first experiment was conducted, the set up
for the transverse wave experiment was
immediately done. Transverse waves assume a
sinusoidal wave pattern and visually represented
by a standing wave. This is due to the
superposition of the two travelling waves which is
known as incident and reflected waves. This
experiment is divided into two parts. For the first
part of the experiment, the students were
required to determine the frequency of vibration
with a constant linear mass density. The students
were gave the liberty to select any size of the
guitar string. After selecting a guitar string, it's
end was tied to the stylus of the string vibrator
(See Figure 1) and it was passed over a pulley
(See Figure 2).


Figure 1: End of a guitar string tied to the stylus
of the string vibrator

Figure 2: Guitar string passed over a pulley

At the end of the guitar string, a mass hanger
was attached. A mass was added on the mass
hanger (See Figure 3) and the frequency knob
was adjusted to 114 Hz (See Figure 4).


Figure 3: A mass with a mass hanger at the
other end of the guitar string.

Figure 4: A frequency knob adjusted to 114Hz

After doing so, the amplitude knob was slowly
adjust to make certain that the segment
formation is clearly defined to be seen. The
number of distinct of segment formation was
counted and it's length was also measured (See
Figure 5).


Figure 5: A clearly defined line segment being
measured
To minimize error, the segment near the stylus
was not considered. All data were recorded and
the experimental value for the frequency of
vibration was solved using the equation below.

The whole procedure were repeated with each
trial with increasing mass added to the hanger.
The average experimental value of frequency of
vibration was computed and the percentage was
solved right after. For the second part of the
experiment, the students were required to
determined the frequency of vibration with
variable linear mass density. Same procedure
was used but this time different sizes of guitar
strings were used for each trials. The tension for
this experiment was held constant for all trials.
Same equation was used to solved for the
frequency of equation.

Diagram:


1. Sine Generator - electronic equipment
that generates a pure, oscillating
frequency in sinusoidal pattern to the
string.
2. String Vibrator - drives a string to
produce standing wave.
3. Set of Weights - were used to vary the
tension
4. Pulley - used with a string to lift weight
5. Mass Hanger - is where the weight was
placed
6. Stylus - a small metal that produces
sound when touches to the vibrating
string; is where the string is attached
7. Guitar Strings - used as the medium






DATA AND RESULTS
The tabulated form of all the data gathered by
conducting the experiment were shown below:

Table 1: DETERMINING THE FREQUENCY OF
VIBRATION (constant linear mass density)

Diameter of wire: 0.014 in


Linear
Mass
Density
of Wire
()




Trial


Tension
T
(dynes)


Number
of
Segments
N


Length
of
String


Frequency
of Vibration
(Hz)

0.0078

1

102900

2

33

110.064293

0.0078

2

73500

2

28

109.632252

0.0078

3

122500

2

36

110.082489

0.0078

4

83300

2

30

108.931616

0.0078

5

132300

2

36

114.401079

Average Frequency of Vibration


110.622346

Actual Value of Frequency of Vibration


114

Percentage Error


2.962855%


Table 1 shows that the Tension is directly
proportional to the Length of the String and the
Frequency of Vibration. This means that as the
Tension increases, the length of the string and
the frequency of vibration also increases.
However, some inconsistencies can be seen on
the table. This inconsistencies are due to some
errors in gathering the data. This explains the
percentage error that was obtained.
















Table 2: DETERMINING THE FREQUENCY OF
VIBRATION (variable linear mass density)



Trial

Diameter
Of
Wire

Linear
Mass
Density
of Wire
()


Tension
T (dynes)

Number
of
Segments
N

Length
of
String

Frequency
of
Vibration
(Hz)

1

0.010

0.0039

102900

2

44

116.740

2

0.014

0.0078

102900

2

33

110.064

3

0.017

0.0112

102900

2

26

116.580

4

0.020

0.015

102900

3

36

109.132

5

0.022

0.0184

102900

4

44

107.492

Average Frequency of Vibration


112.002

Actual Value of Frequency of Vibration


114

Percentage Error


1.753%

Table 2 shows that the linear mass density is
somehow proportional with the number of
segments and inversely proportional with the
frequency of vibration. As the linear mass density
increases, the number of segments also increases
while the frequency of the vibration decreases.
These relationships can be verified through
theoretical analysis. However, some
inconsistencies can be seen on the table. Such
inconsistencies are due to some errors in
gathering the data. This explains the percentage
error that was obtained.

SAMPLE COMPUTATION
The method that was used in computing the
experimental value of the frequency of vibration
is shown below:

Part A: Determining the Frequency of Vibration with
Constant Linear Mass Density

Given:

()

|
()

| |

2.96%


Part B: Determining the Frequency of Vibration with
Constant Linear Mass Density

Given:

Solution:

()

|
()

| |

1.75%










DISCUSSION
Among the experiment done, I can say that this
is the most amusing, amazing, cool and
interesting experiment so far. The devices used
were very scientific and high technology
compared to the Kundts tube experiment which
is very primitive. It also involved simple
computations. The values obtained through
conducting the experiment are directly
substituted on the formula given in order to
obtain the experimental value of the frequency of
vibration. We are able to enjoy the activity and
because of that we are able to finish our work
ahead of other groups. However we did
encounter some problems since somehow we did
not understand how the equation works. At first
we didn't multiple the length of the segment to
the number of segment, we thought that there is
something wrong with the equation until we
asked for the other group's help. Gladly, we
didn't encounter any problem with regards to the
set up and procedure of the activity. We did
obtain great values for the percentage error
which makes me say that we did a really good
job.

For the first part of the experiment, we were able
to get a percentage error of 2.96%. The value is
pretty much lower than the percentage error that
was obtained in the previous experiments. The
reason behind this must be that the temperature
is not considered in this experiment. The
diameter used in the first part of the experiment
was 0.014 cm which has an equivalent value of
the linear mass density which is

. As it
has mentioned on the data and results, the
tension is directly proportional to the length of
the string and the frequency of vibration. Yet,
some inconsistencies on this proportionality could
be seen on the first table. These inconsistencies
is one of the very reason of the percentage error
obtained. As shown on table 1, the group have
obtained a consistent number of segments. The
possible reason on this consistency is the string
used. The group have used only one size of the
string.


for the second part of the experiment, the
percentage error obtained was a bit lower than
the one obtained in the first part. The tension
was held constant in this part while the Linear
mass density varied. The relationship of the
factors that affects the frequency of vibration are
can be seen on the data and results. The data in
table 2 that was gathered and computed by the
students is matched on the theory of frequency
of vibration.

CONCLUSION
The objectives of the experiment is to determine
the frequency of vibration of a stretched string
and to study how the frequency of vibrating
string is affected by tension and linear mass
density.

By conducting the experiment the students were
able to conclude that the theory regarding the
transverse wave are true. These are waves which
occur when the particles of the medium vibrate
perpendicularly to the direction of the wave
propagation. From the results obtained through
the experimentation we can demonstrate the
relationship of tension and linear mass density to
the frequency of the vibrating string. As can be
seen on the first part, it can be concluded that
the tension is directly proportional to the length
of the string and the frequency of vibration. And
preferring to the second part, it can be concluded
that the linear mass density is directly
proportional with the number of segments and
inversely proportional with the frequency of
vibration.

Finally, the students were able to accomplish the
given objectives of the experiment.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First of all, I want to thank our Almighty God for
without Him all of this are not possible.

I gratefully acknowledge the important
contributions and guidance provided by the
following members of Group 5:

Joren Angeles, for the computations and
listing of records of the experiment.
Eleazar Carlo Parazo, for the setup and
photo records of the experiment.
James Ramirez, for performing and
maintaining the cleanliness of the
experiment
Emil Salazar, for performing and for the
laughter.
John Yambing, for the computations and
for his MS Excel expertise.
Lastly, I would love to express my gratitude to
our hardworking Professor, Mr. Ricardo De Leon,
who guided us and gave us encouragement on
times of problems.




REFERENCES
[1] R.A. Serway and J.W. Jewett, Physics for
Scientists and Engineers, 6th Ed.
(Thomson, Belmont, CA, 2004), pp. 100-102
[2] Beiser, Arthur, Concepts of Modern Physicss,
5th Ed., McGraw-Hill, 1995
[3] Halliday and Resnick, Fundamentals of
Physics, 9th Ed., Wiley 2011
[4] Laboratory manual, General Physics 3,
Department of Physics, Mapa Institute of
Technology
[5] Padua, A., Practical and Explorational Physics,
2003