1 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

STATIONARY WAVE


A. PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENT
There are some purposes which want to be achieved from this experiment.
1. Investigating the relationship between waves velocity through the tension
and the density of used string by Meldes Law.
2. Determining the density of used string by Meldes Law.

B. TOOLS AND MATERIALS
Here are the tools and materials needed in order to do this experiment.
1. String (102.80 cm 1.03 m)
2. Mechanical Wave driver
3. Digital Function Generator (Amplifier)
4. Table Fix Pulley
5. Varied mass
6. Ohaus Balance (SSN = 0.01 gram)
7. Vibrator Board
8. Ruler (SSN = 0.1 cm)

C. FUNDAMENTAL THEORY
A wave is the propagation of a disturbance through a medium. The physical
pstringrties of that medium (e.g., density and elasticity) will dictate how the
wave travels within it. A wave may be described by its basic pstringrties of
amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period T. Figure 1 displays all of these
pstringrties. The amplitude, , is the height of a crest or the depth of a trough
of that wave. The wavelength, , is the distance between successive crests or
successive troughs. The time required for a wave to travel one wavelength is
called the period, . The frequency, , is
1

, and is defined as the number

cycles (or crests) that pass a given point per unit time.
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Figure 1. Pstringrties of Wave
Since the wave travels one wavelength in one period, the wave velocity is
defined as . The wave velocity can then be written as follow.
v = f ...................................................................................................... (1)
Where:
v = wave velocity (m/s)
= wavelength (m)
f = frequency (Hz)
In this experiment, we will introduce an oscillating disturbance to a length of
string with the use of an electric vibrator. The vibrator shakes the string back
and forth, creating a disturbance perpendicular to the string's length. This
disturbance, then, propagates along the string until it hits the stationary pulley
about one meter away. This wave is known as a transverse wave since its
disturbance is perpendicular its motion. When the wave reaches the pulley-end
of the string it is reflected back toward the vibrator-end of the string. In doing
so, the disturbance is not only reflected back along the string, but it is also
reflected over the axis of propagation. This is shown in the figure.

Figure 2. Wave Reflection

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When a vibrating body produces waves along a tightly stretched string, the
waves are reflected at the end of the string which cause two oppositely
traveling waves to exist on the string at the same time. These two waves
interfere with each other, creating both constructive and destructive
interference in the vibrating string. If the two waves have identical amplitudes,
wavelengths and velocities, a standing wave, or stationary wave, is created.
The constructive and destructive interference patterns caused by the
superposition of the two waves create points of minimum displacement
called nodes, or nodal positions, and points of maximum displacement
called antinodes. If we define the distance between two nodes (or between two
antinodes) to be , then the wavelength of the standing wave is = 2.
Figure 3 illustrates the case where the length of string vibrates with 5 nodes
and 4 antinodes.

Figure 3. Stationary Wave
The wave velocity of a standing wave is dependent on the medium through
which the wave travels. The velocity of standing waves propagating through a
taunt string, for instance, is dependent on the tension in the string, , and the
linear density of the string, . For waves of small amplitude this velocity is
given by this formulation.

T
v = ..................................................................................................... (2)
Where:
v = wave velocity (m/s)
4 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

T = string tension force
u = string mass per unit length (kg/m).
Based on the equation (1) and (2) price obtained by the strings of a given
frequency as follows:
u
T
f
1
= ............................................................................................. (3)
For the basic node (n = 1), obtained L = or = 2L
For the tone of the first (n = 2), obtained L =
For the tone of the second (n = 3), obtained L = 1 or = 2/3 L
In general, the relationship with L can be written as follows.
n
L
2 = ..................................................................................................... (4)
Where;
n = 1, 2, 3, .
L is the string length.

D. EXPERIMENT METHOD
The following are the experiment method that should be done in order to do
this experiment.
1. Arranging the equipment as shown in figure below.








2. Using the smallest density of wire connector or medium load and hang
approximately 50 grams or more. Record u (mass per unit length of wire),
L (length of wire from the tip of the clamp down to the pulley / wire that
form the wave), and m (mass) the total hanger.
1 2
3
4
5
1. Amplifier
2. Vibrator
3. String
4. Pulley
5. Block Mass

5 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

3. Changing the frequency of amplifier for got at least 2 standing wave
pattern (n = 2). For each pattern, note the n-level mode (n = 1 each ),
then measure the frequency (f) and wavelength ().
4. Repeating steps above by changing the frequency regulator for n = 3 and n
= 4.
5. Repeating the experiment and calculations in step 2 till with 4 by changing
the load from 50 grams to a maximum of 120 grams. Do as much as 5
times the data. For every change of note hanging mass (m) and tension (T)
6. Record your observations in the following table.
L =.................. g = 10 m/s
2
No m (gr) T = m g (N) n f (Hz) (m)
1 2
3
4

2 2
3
4

N

E. DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE
Data obtained on the stationary wave experiments on strings with variations m
used to find the relationship between velocity v and the tension T. As a basic
analysis is the equations 2) that in other forms are:
T = avg v
2
u

........................................................................................ (5)
With v
avg
an average value of v. Equation (4) is identical to the simple linear
regression equation
Y = a + bX ......................................................................................... (6)
With constant a = 0. Thus, the data analysis used simple linear regression
analysis technique based on the principle of least squares as a result of
modification of equation (7), namely:
Y
i
= bX
i
............................................................................................... (7)
6 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

With Y
i
= T and X
i
= v
2
avg
, each of these states and the square of the average
load voltage wave velocity of each of these loads are measured. Based on the
equation (4) and (6), then the constant b satisfies the equation is obtained from
b =
( ) ( )( )
( )

2
2
i i
i i i i
X X N
Y X Y X N
.............................................................. (8)
N is the number of variations of T as a function v
2
avg
. Standard deviation (Ab)
is determined by the equation:
( )

= A
2
2
i i
y
X X N
N
S b

.............................................................. (9)
Sy is the best estimate for the value of Ab of the straight line Y
i
= bX
i
which
can be calculated using the following equation:
( ) ( ) ( )
( )

=



2
2
2 2
2
2 2
2
2
1
i i
i i i i i i i i
i y
X X N
Y X N Y Y X X Y X
Y
N
S
.......... (10)
The result of measurement is tolerable if the value of the relative error is
smaller than 10%.

F. DATA OF EXPERIMENT
No Mass (gr) T = m g (N) n f (Hz) (m)
1 50.20 502.0
2 50.2 1.03
3 75.8 0.69
4 100.1 0.52
2 60.59 605.9
2 52.4 1.03
3 81.3 0.69
4 106.5 0.52
3 70.20 702.0
2 54.7 1.03
3 86.8 0.69
4 114.0 0.52
4 80.19 801.9
2 56.2 1.03
3 79.7 0.69
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4 109.1 0.52
5 100.52 1005.2
2 67.1 1.03
3 97.8 0.69
4 133.9 0.52

G. DATA ANALYSIS
We could know the tension of string by equation = . and the length of
wave from = 2

.
No m (kg) T n f(Hz) (m) = . v
avg

1 0.0502 0.5020
2 50.2 1.03 51.706
52.02 3 75.8 0.69 52.302
4 100.1 0.52 52.052
2 0.06059 0.6059
2 52.4 1.03 53.972
55.15 3 81.3 0.69 56.097
4 106.5 0.52 55.38
3 0.0702 0.7020
2 54.7 1.03 56.341
58.50 3 86.8 0.69 59.892
4 114.0 0.52 59.28
4 0.08019 0.8019
2 56.2 1.03 57.886
56.54 3 79.7 0.69 54.993
4 109.1 0.52 56.732
5 0.10052 1.0052
2 67.1 1.03 69.113
68.74 3 97.8 0.69 67.482
4 133.9 0.52 69.628

The relations between tension (T) and velocity of wave (v).
T (N) V
avg
(m/s)

0.5020 52.02
0.6059 55.15
0.7020
58.50
0.8019 56.54
1.0052 68.74




8 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

The Relationship Graph of Tension (T) and Velocity (V)

From the graph above, the relation between Tensions of string (T) with
velocity of the wave (v) is proportional. If the tension is enlarged, the velocity
of wave will also be greater at a value of u and vice versa. We can determine
the error with the regression linear equation, when

2
= and T = Y, so we
can make the table below.
No

2
= T=Y X
2
Y
2
XY
1
2706.08 0.52 7322871.131 0.2520 1358.45
2
3041.486 0.6059 925635.467 0.36711 1842.84
3
3422.757 0.702 11715265.61 0.4928 2402.78
4
3196.432 0.8019 10217179.89 0.6430 2563.22
5
4725.325 1.0052 22328697.12 1.0104 4749.90
17092.08 3.617 60834649.22 2.7654 12917.20

1. Determining the constant b

=
2 2
) (
) )( ( ) (
Xi Xi N
Yi Xi XiYi N
b

=
512917.20 (17092.08)(3.617)
560834649.22 (17092.08)
2

= 2.3 10
4



0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
50 55 60 65 70
T
e
n
s
i
o
n


(
T
)
Velocity (V)
9 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

2. Determining S
y

2
=
1
2

2
()
2
2 +( )
2

2
( )
2

2
=
1
52
2.7654
60834649 .22(3.617)
2
217092.0812917 .203.617+5(12917 .20)
2
560834649 .22(17092.08)
2

2
= 0.007300588

= 0.085443478

3. Determining
=

2
()
2

= 0.085443478
5
560834649.22 (17092.08)
2

= 5.5 10
5


4. Determining the density of the string ()
=
= 2.3 10
4
5.5 10
5

= (2.3 0.6) 10
4
/

5. Determining Relative Error (RE)
=

100%
=
0.6 10
4
2.3 10
4
100%
= 26 %






10 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

H. DISCUSSION
According to the data analysis, it is retrieved the following results.
a. Waves velocity for each variety of mass and tension is shown below.
m (kg) T (N) V
avg
(m/s)

0.05020 0.5020 52.02
0.06059 0.6059
55.13
0.07020 0.702
58.50
0.08019 0.8019 56.54
0.10052 1.0052 68.74

The table shows that the tension (T) has a linear relationship with the
velocity of wave (v). Because the tension is dependent to the mass,
indirectly the mass also has a linear relationship to the velocity of wave. It
means that if the mass being bigger, then the tension is going to be bigger,
and finally, the velocity of waves will be bigger. In the contrary, if the
mass is being smaller, then the tension of string will be smaller, and finally
the velocity of wave is also being smaller.
b. The density of string () retrieved from the experiment is (2.3 0.6)
10
4
/ with the relative error (
2
) = 26 % which shows us that the
result of experiment is unacceptable since the value of (
2
) is more than
10%.

It is believed that there are some errors that inflences to the final of this
experiment.
1. Common Error
Common error is error that occurs because of the human error. The
common error of this experiment is the parallax error in the reading scale
of Ohaus balance and the scale of vibrator (frequency). In other way, the
students are unskilled in using the certain instrumental such as the vibrator
and ohaus balance.
2. Systematic Error
Systematic error is an error that occurs because of the instruments used as
the influence of the environment at the time of trials. The systematic error
11 | S T A T I O N A R Y W A V E

of this experiment is caused by the connectror cables which did not work
well, then it influenced to the value of frequency.
3. Random Error
Random error is an error which the causing factors are uninvestigated. The
random error of this experiment is the fluctuation of temperature, magnetic
field, vibration of air, etc.

I. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
1. Conclusion
The following are the conclusions related to the result obtained from the
experiment.
a. The tension (T) has linear relationship with the velocity of wave (v). It
means, increasing tension with increase the mass of weights it would
increase the velocity and vice versa.
b. The density of string () retrieved from the experiment is (2.3 0.6)
10
4
/ with the relative error (
2
) = 26 % which shows us that
the result of experiment is unacceptable since the value of (
2
) is
more than 10%.
c. The result of this experiment is unacceptable since there are some errors
occurred during the experiment. They are the common errors,
systematic errors, and random errors.

2. Suggestion
The suggestion that can be provided to the readers and other human in
order to do the same experiment is checking the necessary equipment and
decrease the value of common error. Are the tools and the materials used
still eligible to use or not. If actually it still can be used, then use them well,
but if the tool used is in not good condition, then it is recommend to replace
it with the good others because it will affect the final results of the
experiment. It may be useful to use the unit of dynes rather than Newtons
when measuring the tension force. Note that 1 = 1

2
= 10
5
.

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REFERENCES
Giancoli, Douglas C. 2001. Physics Fifth Edition Fascicle 2. Jakarta: Erlangga
Suardana, I Kade. 2007. The Laboratory Physics Lab Work III. Guiding Book of
Physics Laboratory 3, MIPA Faculty, Ganesha University of
Education.
Supiyanto. 2002. Physics Junior High School. Jakarta: Erlangga.
Sutedjo&Purwoko. 2005. Physics Technology and Industrial. Jakarta: Yudhistira.