The Variation of the Fundamental Frequency of a Stretched String with
TENSION
Light, Sound and Waves - Mandatory Experiment
Expt Variation: The tension can be adjusted in two ways:
By applying more mass to the taunt string.
By adjusting the temsion key to tighten the string and use a spring
balance to measure this.
Apperatus
Tuning forks of know frequencies
Sonometer
Masses or a spring balance
Meter stick
Paper rider
Method
1. Set up apperatus as shown in diagram.
2. Select a wire leghth, measure it and keep it fixed for the entire
experiment.
3. Strike a tuning fork of known frequency and place it on the
sonometer. Start at a low tension and slowly increase until the string
vibrates and the paper rider falls off. Record the frequency and the
tension.
4. Repeat the procedure several times with different tuning forks.
5. Plot a graph of frequency (x-axis) against the square root of tension
(y-axis).
