Intro to Waves Lab

1. Describe in words and drawings what you see after releasing the spring.
• There seems to be a wave that bounces back and forth and how how far it goes depends on how much you compress it.
2. What happens to the wave when it reaches the other end of the spring?
• It bounces back.
3. Describe in words and drawings what you see after releasing the spring.
• The wave hits goes towards the other end and it creates a kind of dent as it passes along the spring.
4. Describe in words and drawings what happens to the waves when it reaches the other end of the spring.
• The wave hits the other end and bounces back, but it never comes completely back, it seems to fade away somewhere in the middle of the spring.
5. Does the size of the wave change as it travels along the spring? Describe both its amplitude and wavelength.
• Yes it does. After it hits the other end, the size of the wave gets a lot smaller. As you increase the amplitude, the waves get bigger, and when you decrease it, the waves get smaller. The wavelength seems to stay the same.
6. Do you think changing the amplitude of the wave will change the velocity?
• No it doesn't.
7. Do you think changing the wavelength will change its velocity?
• No, it doesn't change the velocity.
8. Do you think stretching or shortening the length of the spring will change its velocity?
• Stretching or shortening the spring length can make it either faster or slower. To make it slower, you make it shorter, and to make it faster, you make it longer.