LIDIA VAZQUEZ

Activity 1: Wave Pulses and Interference

In this lab you will create different types of waves in order to discuss the differences and similarities between them. You will then type up your responses into a “fridge worthy” document for your “Slinky Badge”.

Working with a partner and a slinky, complete the following activities.

Test 1: Stretch the slinky out on the table. Shake the slinky (up or down) sharply to the right or left one time to produce a wave pulse. Make three sketches of what the slinky looked like at three different times to show the progression of the wave.

The slinky moved up and down on the table and the wave or bump made its way from one side to the other.

Question 1: Is this a transverse or longitudinal wave? Explain using your sketches and observations… The first wave is a transverse one due to the fact that the motion it does i'd up and down appearing like a traditional drawing of a wave

Test 2. With the slinky still stretched, sharply push the slinky inward one time. Make three sketches of what the slinky looked like at three different times to show the progression of the wave.

Question 2: Is this a transverse or a longitudinal wave? Explain using your sketches and observations… This is a longitudinal wave because it has to parts compression and rarefaction in the place where the slinky is dark is where it is currently being compressed where there is more energy that moves through the medium of the slinky to point A to B

Question 3: In what ways are these two waves different and in what ways are they the same?

The waves are both alike in the fact that they are created by some sort of disturbance and that they pace energy from one place to the other and eventually go back to their resting point. The differences of the waves is how the energy travels and how it looks physically.Thus, one wave moves the energy sideways  parallel and the other one uses an up and down kind of thing.

Test 3. Place a light object like a crumpled piece of paper beside the slinky near one end. Create a transverse wave pulse from the other end that causes the cup to move.

Question 4: The object was initially at rest, and then began to move. What type of energy did the object gain? Kinetic Energy from Gravitational Potential


Question 5: Where did this energy come from?

When we convert the kinetic energy from out hand that moves the end of the slinky, the kinetic energy is transferred from one end to the other end. But the ball of paper only moved up the table.


Question 6: Would this experiment have worked with a longitudinal wave (with the object in the same position)? Explain your reasoning.I think that if we were to try with a longitudinal wave, nothing would’ve happened because in a longitudinal wave, it doesn’t move up or down. Or it might have slightly moves it by vibrations of the table but that's about it.

Test 4) Generate a single transverse wave pulse by moving your hand quickly to either the left or right. Observe the velocity with which the wave travels through the slinky. Now change the tension in the slinky. Gather about a quarter of the slinky in your hands making this the “end” and then stretch the remaining slinky 2 to 3 meters like before. Make a wave pulse with as close to an identical disturbance as you did above and note the time it takes to get to the other end. Repeat this again making the slinky even tighter. Describe how changing the tension affects the characteristics of the wave (wavelength and speed).

Activity 2: Resonant Frequencies - harmonics

Instead of just producing wave pulses, you will now produce continuous waves which travel down the slinky. You will also produce continuous waves which appear to be standing still. These are called standing waves and are a special case of a continuous wave. They can be produced at only certain frequencies. It may take some practice to properly produce different numbers of standing waves. In this section you will be determining the frequency of different standing waves and coming up with a general equation that can be used for all standing waves.

Standing Waves:

Test 5: Now produce a transverse continuous standing wave and sketch how the slinky appears

Question 7: Explain the difference between continuous traveling waves and continuous standing waves.I also understand the differences from standing and traveling waves which is one's wavelength is a short distance which it repeats itself and the other one the wavelength is two times the distance.

Question 8: You will want to determine the frequency of various standing waves. (Be sure to keep your slinky stretched to the same length for all these experiments.) What is a good method for doing this? (Be sure to think of ways to minimize error and list these.)   V= ( λ* f) and solve for f

Problem 1: Using your method, determine the frequency for a single standing wave. Be sure to show your data and include proper units in your answer.

The frequency would be ⅕ c/s due to the fact that it takes five seconds to complete one cycle so the inverse would be ⅕ for one cycle per second.

Problem 2: What is the wavelength of this wave? (Be sure to explain where your result came from - use a diagram.) Include proper units in your answer. Hint: Measure the nodes.

The wavelength was 108 due to the fact that the length from point A to B was 54 so then the pulse is not a full wave we need a period so you multiply it by itself twice.

Problem 3: What is the velocity of this wave? Show your work! Recall that velocity (v),
v = wavelength * frequency ( λ* f) and include proper units in your answer.

So what I did was  V= ( λ* f) thus if my  λ=108 and my frequency was ⅕ c/s then I plug it in and solve which will give me a velocity of 21.6

Test 6: With the slinky stretched the same amount as above, try to create a double standing wave.

Problem 4: Using the same method, determine the frequency of this wave.

My wave length is 54 inches and my velocity is 21.6 so I plugged it in and my frequency is . 2 hertz

Question 9: How does the frequency compare to that of the single standing wave? What do you think the frequency of a triple standing wave would be? The frequency decreases due to the fact that the wave length decreases as well.

Problem 5: What is the wavelength of the double standing wave. How does it compare to that of the single standing wave? What do you think the wavelength of a triple standing wave would be?

The frequency is 2 hertz so do to the fact for a triple standing wave it would be λ=3/2x and I would just solve for x

Problem 6: As above, calculate the velocity of the double standing wave. What do you observe about the difference in velocities of the single and double waves?

The velocity is not changed the things that are changed is the frequency and wavelength

The write up for this lab has been assigned on the “Virtual Classroom”.