Core Practical: Investigating Wave Properties Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

How can a stopwatch be used to find the frequency of ripples on water?

Count the number of waves passing a fixed point in a measured time; frequency = number of waves ÷ time.

Why is a stroboscope used when measuring the wavelength of ripples in a ripple tank?

Its flashes make the wave pattern appear frozen, so the wavelength can be measured with a ruler.

In the core practical, how is the frequency of the waves known accurately (e.g. waves on a string or ripples made by a dipper)?

It is read from the signal generator driving the vibration generator or dipper.

In a ripple tank, why measure the distance across several wavelengths (e.g. 10) and divide, rather than measure one wavelength?

One wavelength is very short, so measuring a longer distance and dividing reduces the uncertainty and gives a more accurate wavelength.

When finding the speed of sound in a metal rod clamped at its centre and tapped at one end, how is the wavelength of the peak frequency related to the rod's length?

The wavelength is double the length of the rod.