PHY 108: General Physics II Practical

EXPERIMENT 001C

Fig. 1
In the figure above, a sonometer is set up with a mass M, hanging freely from the wire.
A length, 1i of the wire is set vibrating in resonance with a sounded tuning fork of
frequency f. The values of 1 and f are recorded.
This procedure is repeated five more times, keeping M constant and varying f to obtain
different values of 1.
Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b) show the values of li and fi respectively, where i = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
and 6.
(i) Measure and record the real values of li and the corresponding real values of fi.
In each
1-1
(ii) Plot a graph of f on the vertical axis against on the horizontal axis, starting
both axes from the origin (0,0).
(iii) Determine the slope, s of the graph;
(iv) Determine the value of n in the expression.

1 𝑇
𝑆= √
2 𝑛

Where T is the tension in the wire, (Take the mass M, suspended freely as 4 kg
and g = 10m s-2).
(v) State two precautions you would take if you were to perform this experiment in
the laboratory.
 PHY 108: General Physics II Practical

B(i) Under what condition will the vibration of the wire be in resonance with that of
the vibrating tuning fork?
(i) A string fixed between two pages, 50 cm apart is set into vibration by
plucking it in the middle. If the velocity of the wave in the string is 460
m s-1, determine the frequency of vibration.