EXPERIMENT 10 ‘aM To find the frequency of an alternating current (A.C. mains) with a sonometer. yOUNEED 1. A sonometer (with soft iron wire stretched over it) 2. An electromagnet with a step-down transformer 3. A hanger 4. Slotted half kilogram weights 5. A physical balance 6. A weight box. ‘THEORY If a wire of length J having mass per unit length mis stretched by applying a tension 7 in the yoy Ac. string and it is set into transverse vibrations in fundamental mode, then the frequency n of the note of the wire is given by, 1i[F 2I\m When an A.C. is passed through an electromagnet and length J and tension T in the wire is so adjusted that it is set into resonant vibrations by ‘ACC, then the frequency of A.C. ‘f” will be half of the frequency of the vibration of the wire ‘n’, Frequency of A.C. ‘top-down transformer leetromagnet 7 Electromagnet evac. Wedge W) Fig. 4.1 Frequency of A.C, mains by sonometer ‘and an electromagnet, Saraswal Lab Manual Physics: un £43,HOW'To Do 1 ew Place the sonometer on the table as shown in Fig. 4.1 ins Test the pully and make . Stretch the sonometer wire AB by placing a weit - Clamp the electromagnet in a stand and connect the electromag such a way so that pully projects beyond the edge oy the table. ictionless by oiling it. oe an weight of one ke on the hanger. gnet to the secondary of the step-down transformer i its poles lie close to the middle of the sonometer wire Ag h of the vibrating portion of the sonometer wire by sliding fate. Again make small adjustments till the amplitude Now adjust the position of the electromagnet so that Now switch on the A.C. supply and adjust the lengt! one of the knife edges (bridges) until the wire begins to vibr of vibrating wire between the two bridges is maximum. ‘ Note e length of the vibr: ire (when its amplitude is maximum) between the two bridges A ang Band the value ofthe tension Tea ig Guheve Mf = weight of hanger + slotted weights on ib. Length AB op wire gives resonant length l. A it Bring the two bridges closer and then adjust the length for maximum amplitude by inereasing it. Now measure the length AB and tension 7’ and record it in length increasing column. ‘Now make the two bridges apart from each other and go on decreasing the length of the wire AB between the two bridges and adjust the length for maximum amplitude by decreasing it. Measure the length AB between the edges of the two bridges and record it in length decreasing column. . : Keep it in mind that both lengths increasing or decreasing will be taken for the same tension in the wire, . Now increase the tension (load) in the step of % kg weight and repeat the steps 6, 7 and 8 and record the maximum amplitude in wire AB while length decreasing and length increasing. . Take four sets of observations in all for different loads. . Switch off the A. » supply to the electromagnet and remove it. | | Take about 100 em of the sonometer wire and find out its mass by a sensitive physical balance and record it, 3SERVATIONS 1, Length of the sonometer wire = L vo. CM 2. Mass of this length L of the sonometer wire = W = 3. Mass per unit length of the sonometer wire = m = W/L 4. Mass of the hanger kg gm 5. Value of acceleration due to gravity = g =... cm/s Table for resonant length of the wire S. | Load (including Tension Resonant length of the sonometer wire Frequency Bio) |e maes of te T=Mg Length Tength Mean length anger) increasing | decreasing +1 i 7 pe heh (gm) 2 (dyne) (cm) (em) (cm) (Hz) L 2. ES 4. Mean frequency n =... Hi CALCULATIONS: iT Using formula n iE » calculate the value of n for each set of observations and find the mean value of n. ‘The frequency of A.C. mains, ‘Mean value of n 2 Z 44 Saraswati Lab Manual Physics-Xil —_ ‘SULT Frequency of the A.C. mains by sonometer and electromagnet ‘the standard value of frequency of A.C. mains =... Hz: Difference in experimental value and standard value = .... Hz. Difference of error = Difference _ 199 = Percentage of error = TE — 100 = an % JAKE CARE 1, Sonometer wire should be of soft iron or other magnetic material 2, Sonometer wire should be free from kinks and stretched horizontally. 3. The poles of electromagnet should be very close to the wire in its middle of the vibrating segment. 4, The length of the wire while increasing or decreasing should be noted when the amplitude of the vibrating wire is maximum, 5. The weight of the hanger should be counted while calculating tension in the wire. SOURCES OF ERROR 1, The wire may not have uniform area of cross-section. 2, Pulley may not be frictionless. 3. Knife-edges (bridges) may not be sharp. 4, The frequency of A.C. mains may not be stable. 5, Weights may not be correct.