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The Speed of Waves Notes

Three methods for measuring the speed of sound are described: using a clap and stopwatch, using echoes and a stopwatch, and using microphones and an oscilloscope. Two methods for measuring water wave speed are also provided: using a disturbance and stopwatch, and using a ripple tank. The document provides guidance on measuring speed of sound and water waves, including necessary equipment, setting distances, and calculating speeds using equations.

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42 views

The Speed of Waves Notes

Three methods for measuring the speed of sound are described: using a clap and stopwatch, using echoes and a stopwatch, and using microphones and an oscilloscope. Two methods for measuring water wave speed are also provided: using a disturbance and stopwatch, and using a ripple tank. The document provides guidance on measuring speed of sound and water waves, including necessary equipment, setting distances, and calculating speeds using equations.

Uploaded by

nisalielisha rodrigo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Speed of Sound

There are different methods to find out speed of sound in air


1. by clap method (s = d/t)
2. by echo method (s=2d/t)
3. by using 2 microphone (s = d/t)

When describing a method for an experiment try and include the following things:

a. List all of the apparatus that you will need


b. Choose a suitable (realistic) distance over which you will measure the sound.
c. Describe how you will measure this distance.
d. Explain how you will produce a loud enough sound.
e. Explain how you will time the sound (and how the timer will be started and stopped).
f. Explain how you will calculate the speed (give an equation).
g. State that you will then repeat the experiment several times and take an average.

Three methods for measuring the speed of sound are given below.

Method 1

1. Two people stand a distance of around 100m apart.


2. The distance between them is measured using a trundle wheel.
3. One of the people has two wooden blocks, which he bangs together above his head.
4. The second person has a stopwatch which he starts when he sees the first person banging the
blocks together and stops when he hears the sound.
5. This is then repeated several times and an average value is taken for the time.
6. The speed of sound can then be calculated using the equation: s=d/t

Method 2
1. A person stands about 50m away from a wall (or cliff). This distance is measured using a
trundle wheel or measuring tape
2. The person claps two wooden blocks together and listens for the echo.
3. The person then starts to clap the blocks together repeatedly, in rhythm with the echoes.
4. A second person has a stopwatch and starts timing when he hears one of the claps and stops
timing 20 claps later.
5. The process is then repeated and an average time calculated.
6. The distance travelled by the sound between each clap and echo will be (2 x 50) m.
7. The total distance travelled by sound during the 20 claps will be (20 x 2 x 50) m.
8. The speed of sound can be calculated from this distance and the time using the equation:

Total distance /total time

Method 3

1. Two microphones are connected to an oscilloscope and placed about 5 m apart.


(This distance can be measured using a tape measure).
2. The oscilloscope is set up so that it triggers when the first microphone detects a sound, and the
time base is adjusted so that the sound arriving at both microphones can be seen on the screen.
3. Two wooden blocks are used to make a large clap next to the first microphone.
4. The oscilloscope is then used to determine the times at which the clap reaches each
microphone, and the time difference between the two claps is then determined.
5. This is repeated several times and an average time difference calculated.
6. The speed can then be calculated using the equation: s= d/t

You should be able to discuss the accuracy of the experiments above.

The main thing affecting the accuracy of each of the above experiments is the measurement of the
time. If measuring using a stopwatch, each measurement will only be accurate to within one or two
tenths of a second. If the measured time isn’t much bigger than this (such as in method 1 for the
speed of sound) then the calculated speed will be inaccurate.
Ripples on water surfaces

Method 1
 One method for measuring the speed of a ripple on a water surface is to use a large calm
pond or lake.
 Two people stand a few metres apart (measured using a tape measure).
 One person counts down from three and then disturbs the water surface (using their hand, for
example) to create a ripple.
 The second person uses a stopwatch to time how long it takes for the ripple to get to them from
the first person.
 The experiment is then repeated several times and an average time calculated.
 The speed of the wave can then be found using the equation:

Wave fronts

A wave front is the line joining particles in same state of motion. If source is pointed we get
circular wave fronts and if the object is flat and long, we get straight wave fronts.

Distance between successive wave fronts is equal to wavelength.


Method 2 Ripple tank

1. Set up the ripple tank as shown in the diagram with about 5 cm depth of water.
2. Adjust the height of the wooden rod so that it just touches the surface of the water.
3. Switch on the lamp and motor and adjust until low frequency waves can be clearly observed.
4. Measure the length of a number of waves (10 waves)then divide by the number of waves
( 10) to record wavelength. It may be more practical to take a photograph of the card with the
ruler and take your measurements from the still picture.
5. Count the number of waves passing a point in ten seconds then divide by ten to record
frequency. ( Use a slow motion video of the waves with a timer for more accurate result)
6. Calculate the speed of the waves using: wave speed = frequency × wavelength.

Questions

1) What the control variables in this experiment


2) How safely you can do this experiment
3) The lines in the figure are crests of straight ripples.
a) What is the wavelength of the ripples?

b) If ripple A occupied 5 seconds ago the


position now occupied by ripple F , what is the
frequency of the ripples?
c) What is the speed of the ripples?
d) Use the formula V=d/t, show that the speed
is same.
Speed of sound wave in solid

 For water waves, the speed, frequency and wavelength can all be measured separately, but
the speed of sound in a solid is too fast to be measured by simply measuring distance and
time. Here, the speed is calculated using the measurements made of frequency and
wavelength.

 The speed of sound depends on the density of the medium in which it is travelling and
increases when the density increases. For example, in solids sound travels faster than in
liquid and even faster than in gas, and the density is highest in solids, lower in liquids and
lowest in gas.

 Which variables should be controlled in the experiment?

 Here we use frequency analyzer app to measure frequency. (f)

 If we use 1m long metal rod λ = 2 times its length

 Use v=f λ to calculate speed of sound in solid.

 What is the advantage of using a frequency analyser app ?

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