More Fun with Waves Lab

Part 3: Interference of Transverse Waves

1. If the two wave pulses are on the same side of the spring, what happens when the two waves meet in the middle of the spring? 
• When the two wave pulses meet in the middle they bounce back to the directions they came from.
2. If the two wave pulses are on opposite sides of the spring describe what happens when they meet in the middle of the spring.
• When the two wave pulses meet in the middle, they bounce back and change the side they were originally on. 

Part 4: Periodic Transverse Waves

1. How does the length of the waves that you produce depend on how fast you are vibrating your hand?
• When you vibrate your hand faster, you get shorter waves and when you vibrate your hand slower, you get longer waves.
2. Does the speed at which the wave travels down the spring depend on how fast you are vibrating your hand?
• We timed the waves three times and used the average of the three to find the velocity. When we calculated the velocity of the fast vibration we got 5.85 m/s, and when we calculated the velocity of the slow vibration we got 5.63 m/s. From our data, it seems that the speed is slightly more when you vibrate your hand fast, but I think that to be more accurate, we should've done more trials.

Part 5: Standing Waves

1. Record the time it takes to complete ten cycles. Calculate the  frequency, period, wavelength, and speed of the wave. (One Hump)
• Time: 19.12 seconds
• Frequency: 0.52 Hz
• Period: 1.912s
• Wavelength: 1.21m
• Speed: 0.628 m/s
2. Record the time it takes for the wave to complete ten cycles. Calculate the frequency, period, wavelength, and speed of the wave. (Two Humps)
• Time: 9.41 seconds
• Frequency: 1.063 Hz
• Period: 0.941s
• Wavelength: 1.204m
• Speed: 1.28 m/s
3. Record the time it takes for the wave to complete ten cycles. Calculate the frequency, period, wavelength, and speed of the wave. (Three Humps)
• Time: 4.60
• Frequency: 2.17 Hz
• Period: 0.46s
• Wavelength: 1.203m
• Speed:  2.61 m/s