Aim 

To study the relation between the length of a given wire and tension for constant
frequency using sonometer.
Apparatus
A sonometer One tuning forks, 1\2 kg hanger, five 1\2 kg slotted weights, rubber
pad, paper rider, metre scale, screw gauge.
Theory 
The frequency of the string and the tuning fork will be the same if they vibrate at the same
resonance. For a string with length l, diameter D, material density ρ and tension T, then the
frequency v is given as:

From above equation, vl = constant

A graph between v and 1/l will be a straight line and the graph between v and l will be a
hyperbola. A graph between T and l2 will be a straight line as T ∝ l2.

Diagram

Procedure
1. Place the sonometer with a load of 1.5 kg on the table as shown in the above diagram.
2. Place a V shaped paper rider R in the middle of the wire. Strike the tuning fork against
the rubber pad and touch the lower end of the handle with the sonometer board. The
wire AB will start to vibrate and adjust the distance between bridges where the rider R
falls off the wire AB. Note that length
3. Increase the slotted weights one by one and Repeat the above steps with the same
fork.
4. Record the observations in a tabular form
Observations
Constant frequency of tuning fork, v = Hz
Table for tension (load) and length:

Calculations
1. Find mean length l and write it in “mean length” column 5
2. Find l2 and write in l2 column 6.
3. Find l2/T and write in l2/T column 7.
4. Plot the graph between T and l2, taking T along the x-axis and l2 along the y-axis. The
graph will be a straight line

Result
1. From column 7 we found that l2/T = constant.
2. From the graph, it is concluded that T ∝ l2 for constant frequency v and it corresponds to

the formula:

This verifies the law of tension of transverse vibrations of strings.

Precautions
1. Frictionless pulleys should be used.
2. The maximum load on the wire should not exceed the elastic limit.
3. Soft rubber pad should be used to strike the tuning forks.

Sources of Error
1. The rigid and uniform cross-sectional wire might not be used.
2. Correct weights are not used.
3. Sharpe wooden bridges might not be used.