Experiment: Waves on springs [PRAC-1]

Waves can be produced on a long, stretched spring placed on the floor. Such waves are often easier to see than
sound waves.

Obtain a long slinky spring and have someone hold it firmly at one end.

 Have someone else flick the free end sideways to produce a single pulse transverse wave. The pulse
will travel along the wave.

What happens to the transverse wave as it reflects of the fixed end?

The reflected wave is inverted from the incident wave.

Produce a wave of large amplitude and one of small amplitude. Compare the energy required to produce each
wave. Does a pulse of greater amplitude travel faster, slower or at the same speed as a wave of smaller
amplitude?

The speed is the same due to the medium in which the wave is travelling being the same.

What happens to the amplitude of the wave as it travels up and down the spring? Explain this change.

Amplitude decreases as it loses energy.

Investigate the effect stretching the spring has on the speed of the transverse wave.

Same speed.

What happens if a pulse is sent from each end of the spring at the same time?

They cross each other.

Produce a longitudinal wave on a slinky spring by moving the spring away then towards your body repeatedly.
Is such a wave reflected from the fixed end? Does the wave move up and down the spring forever? What
happens to it?

The wave is reflected. It doesn’t last forever as it runs out of energy.

Explain the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave.

Sound waves oscillate back and forth in longitudinal waves. In transverse waves, sound oscillates
perpendicular to the direction of travel.

Experiment: Standing waves in a spring (work requirement 3)

 Have two persons stand upright while holding opposite ends of a long thin slightly stretched spring.
One person is to continually flick their end of the spring up and down to produce a series of transverse
waves that travel along the spring. The other person is to hold their end firmly. The pulses reflect from
the fixed end upside down. On their return the reflected waves interfere with the incident waves to
produce a standing wave.

Vary the flicking rate and amount of energy going into the waves. This varies the wavelength and the number of
nodes formed between the two ends of the spring.

How many nodes can you produce?

4 nodes.

As more nodes are produced, what happens to the wavelength?

The wavelength shortens and the frequency increases.

Is there a node or antinode at each end?

 There is a node at each end.

Do you have to flick with more or less energy to produce more nodes?

Flicking at a higher frequency/with more energy will produce more nodes.

What do you have to do in order to maintain the standing wave pattern?

To maintain a standing wave pattern, the spring has to be flicked at a consistent frequency.

Why is the pattern referred to as a standing wave pattern? What causes it?

It is referred to as a standing wave pattern as it appears to have no displacement. These are produced
when the nodes and antinodes overlap with the original.