rev 05/2019

Standing Waves
Equipment
Qty Items Parts Number
1 String Vibrator WA-9857
1 Mass and Hanger Set ME-8967
1 Pulley ME-9448B
1 Universal Table Clamp ME-9376B
1 Small Rod ME-8988
2 Patch Cords
1 String

Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to examine the relationships between the tension in a sting, the length
density of the string, the length of the string, and the standing waves that can form on the string.

Theory
A standing wave is a wave where the overall pattern does not appear to move. For standing wave to
form on a string, the basic condition that must be met is that both ends of the string must be fixed in
place, never moving themselves. This means that for a string stretched out horizontally, the vertical
displacement of each of the two ends of the string must always be zero! In a standing wave, the
locations of the string that never move are called nodes, while the locations on the string where the
vertical displacement will reach its greatest value are called antinodes.

Using the condition that there must be a node located at each end of the string for a standing wave to
form on it, let us construct a relationship between the length of the string and the size of the waves that
can form standing waves on that string. Let the length of the string be 𝐿, then the largest wavelength
that will allow for our
condition to be met is a
wave that is twice as long as
the string itself, 𝜆 = 2𝐿
which will result in a
standing wave with 1 loop
to form on the sting.

1
The speed of a wave 𝑣 is given by the product of its wavelength 𝜆, and its frequency 𝑓.

𝑣 = 𝜆𝑓

Inserting 2𝐿 in for the wavelength, and then solving for the frequency gives.

𝑣
𝑓1 =
2𝐿

This equation gives us the fundamental frequency, or the first frequency that will cause a standing wave
to form on the string. This frequency is also called the first harmonic.

Now let us repeat this process to find the second largest wavelength that will form a standing wave on
the string of length 𝐿. The second largest wavelength that will meet the condition of nodes being at both
ends of the string is
one where its
wavelength is equal
to the length of the
string itself 𝜆 = 𝐿,
which will cause a
standing wave with
2 loops to form on
the string.

Inserting this into the equation for the speed of a wave, and solving it for the frequency we obtain:

𝑣
𝑓2 = ,
𝐿

which is the second frequency that will form a standing wave on this string, aka the second harmonic,
aka the first overtone.

Repeating this process one more time to find the third largest wave that will form a standing wave on
2𝐿
the string of length 𝐿. The wavelength of this wave will be related to the length of the string by 𝜆 = 3
,
which will cause a
standing wave with 3
loops to form on the
string.
Inserting this into the
equation for the speed
of a wave, and solving
for the frequency gives,

3𝑣
𝑓3 = ,
2𝐿

2
this, of course, being the third frequency that will form a standing wave on this string, aka the third
harmonic, aka the second overtone.
From the equations that give the first three frequencies, one should be able to see a pattern for the
equations themselves. The second equation is just 2 times the first equation, and the third equation is
just 3 times the first equation.

𝑣 2𝑣 𝑣
𝑓2 = = = 2 ∙ ( ) = 2 ∙ 𝑓1
𝐿 2𝐿 2𝐿

3𝑣 𝑣
𝑓3 = = 3 ∙ ( ) = 3 ∙ 𝑓1
2𝐿 2𝐿

All of the frequencies that will form standing waves on the string follow this basic pattern, such that the
𝑛𝑡ℎ frequency that will form the 𝑛𝑡ℎ standing wave pattern on the string is just 𝑛 times the first
frequency 𝑓1, where 𝑛 is any counting number.

𝑓𝑛 = 𝑛 ∙ 𝑓1 , 𝑛 = 1, 2, 3 …

𝑛𝑣
𝑓𝑛 = , 𝑛 = 1, 2, 3 …
2𝐿

𝑇
Since we know that the speed of a wave on a string is given by = √𝜇 , where 𝑇 is the tension in the
𝑚
string, and 𝜇 is the length density of the string given by 𝜇 = 𝐿 . We can insert this into our equation to
finally obtain

𝑛 𝑇
𝑓𝑛 = √ , 𝑛 = 1, 2, 3 …
2𝐿 𝜇

Setup
1. Double click the Capstone icon to open up the PASCO Capstone software.
2. In the Tool Bar on the right side of the screen, click on the Hardware Setup icon to open the
Hardware Setup window.
 In the Hardware Setup window there should be an image of the PASCO 850 Universal
Interface. If there is, skip to step 3. If there isn’t, click on the Choose Interface tab to
open the Choose Interface window, then select PASPORT, automatically detect, and
finally click OK.
3. On the image of the PASCO 850 Universal Interface click on OUTPUT Ch (1), and then select
Output Frequency Sensor.
4. In the Tool Bar, click on the Signal Generator to open the signal generator window.
 Click on 850 Output 1, which will open up the properties of Output Source Ch (1).
 Set the wave form to sin.

3
  Click on the push pin icon near the top right of the signal generator window to rescale
the main window so you can keep the signal generator open while you perform the
experiment.
5. Use two patch cords to connect Output Source Ch (1) to the string vibrator.
6. Using the provided equipment construct the setup as seen in the provided picture.
 The length between the
string vibrator, and the
detachable pulley
should be AT LEAST one
meter.
 The length of the string
should be horizontal.
 Don’t plug in the string vibrator yet.
 The C-clamp needs to be tight enough that it will hold the string vibrator in place, but
not too tight that you crack the plastic case of the string vibrator.
 At this point the exact mass hanging from the hook is unimportant.
7. Using a measuring stick, measure
the length 𝐿 of your string. Please
note that 𝐿 is not the entire length
of the string, but the distance
between the pulley and the front
edge of the metal ‘blade’ the string
is tied to. Record your value for 𝐿
in the table for string.
8. Take a long length of the same
type of string you are using, 3 to 4 meters, and using a mass scale measure the mass 𝑚 of the
string. Then record that value in the table provided.
 Using a measuring stick measure the length 𝑙 of this same string. Then record this value
in the table for string.
𝑚
 Using your values for 𝑚 and 𝑙, calculate the length density 𝜇 = of the type of string
𝑙
you are using, and then record that value in the table for sting.

Procedure: Part 1
1. Including the mass of the mass hanger, have 100 grams hanging from the end of the string.
2. In the signal generator window set the frequency of 𝑓 = 60.0 𝐻𝑧, then set the amplitude to 1 V.
3. In the signal generator window, click the on tab to start the string vibrator to start vibrating.
4. Change the frequency till you find the frequency that allows for one standing loop, n = 1, to form
on your string. Record this frequency in the table provided.
 You will have to turn the string vibrator off, and then back on to reset the frequency
each time.
5. Find the frequencies that yield the standing wave patterns that correspond to n =2, n = 3, n = 4,
n =5, and record them in the table provided.

4
  In the signal generator window, you will have to increase the amplitude of the wave to
better see the standing wave patterns for the higher frequencies.

Procedure: Part 2
1. In the signal generator window, set the frequency of 𝑓 = 60.0 𝐻𝑧.
2. In the signal generator window click the on tab to start the string vibrator to start vibrating.
 Adjust the mass on the hook by adding or subtracting mass till a standing wave of 2
loops form on the string. (The exact mass will depend on the length 𝐿 and the length
density 𝜇 of the string you used.)
 Once a standing wave of 2 loops has formed on the string, record the total hanging mass
as 𝑚2 in the chart provided. Remember the hook itself is 5 grams and needs to be
included in the total mass.
3. Calculate the tension, 𝑇, the force in the string created by the hanging mass, then record that
tension in the table provided.
𝑇
4. Calculate the speed of the standing wave using the equation 𝑣 = √ , then record that as the
𝜇
theoretical speed 𝑣𝑇 in the tables provided.
5. Calculate the experimental wave speed by using the equation 𝑣 = 𝜆𝑓, then record the
experimental speed 𝑣𝐸 in the tables provided.
 The wavelength λ is always the total length of 2 loops.
6. Calculate the % error between the theoretical and experimental values of the speed of the
standing wave with 2 loops.
7. Repeat Step 4 through 8 for 3, 4, and 5 loops forming on your string, and record the total
hanging mass for each case in the provided tables.

5
6
 Analysis of Standing Waves Lab

Name______________________________________________ Group#________
Course/Section_______________________________________
Instructor____________________________________________

Table for String (5 points)

Table Part 2
𝒇 = _𝟔𝟎 𝑯𝒛________
𝒎𝟐 𝒎𝟑 𝒎𝟒 𝒎𝟓
𝒏 2 3 4 5
𝒎(𝒌𝒈)
𝑻(𝑵)
𝒎
𝒗𝑻 ( )
𝒔
𝒎
𝒗𝑬 ( )
𝒔
%error
Sample Calculations for table 2: (15 points)

7
1. For part 1, calculate the theoretical frequency for the standing wave that corresponds to
n = 1 (5 points)

2. Calculate the % error between your experimental frequency for n = 1, and the theoretical
frequency. (5 points)

3. According to the theory all the higher frequencies that form standing waves on a string,
given identical conditions, should all be whole number multiples. Does your data support
this theory? If not, what are some reason why it doesn’t? (5 points)

4. From the data from table 2, and using Excel or similar program, graph T (tension) vs n,
with the trendline, and show equation on the graph. Describe the shape of the graph.
(10 points)

1
5. Using algebra show that the tension can be written as 𝑇 = (4𝜇𝑓 2 𝐿2 ) 𝑛2 (5 points)

8
6. Using Excel or a similar program graph T vs (1/n2), with the trendline, and show the
equation on the graph. (5 points)

a. From the slope of the graph, calculate the density of the string. (10 points)

b. Compare this value to the value you calculated from your measured values
using % difference. (10 points)

7. If the length density of the string were doubled, how would the frequency change?
(5 points)

8. Write a general statement that describes how the frequency of vibration of a standing
wave relates to the number of segments of the standing wave. (5 points)

9. What are a few reasons that account for our percent error? (5 points)

10. Do the results of our experiment confirm the theory? Justify your answer. (5 points)