Experiment 1

Measure of Frequency of AC supply by Melde’s

apparatus
Introduction
The frequency of AC Supply is given by

Where f is the frequency of AC supply (or frequency of transverse standing waves

produced in string), l is the distance between two successive nodes i.e. equal to
the length of a loop, M is the total mass suspended to the string, i.e. mass placed
in the pan plus the mass of pan, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and m is the
mass per unit length of string.

Equipment
Melde’s apparatus (vibrograph), AC supply, Pulley with stand, two small optical
pins with stands. Light strings of about 2 meters, Pan, Weight box, Meter Scale

Lab Procedure
If the mass per unit length is not known, measure the full length of string, say 2m,
and weight it to nearest milligram. Divide the measured mass by its length to get
mass per unit length m of string. Note also the mass of pan m1.

1. Tie one end of a string with an iron strip of vibrograph and pass the other
end over a frictionless pulley and tie it with a pan
2. Place a weight of like 2gm in the pan attached to the string and turn on
vibrograph.
3. Move the vibrograph to adjust the length of string until amplitude of 1-2 cm
are seen in the string.

4. Now one optical pin each is placed at the second and second last node
formed in the string and L is the distance measured between two optical
pins by meter scale, and number of loops n formed between the optical
pins are counted.
5. The ends of the strings are not true nodes and measurements should be
from these points.
6. Record the values of L and n and find out the length l of one loop.
7. Keep changing the weights say 5, 10, 20gm and repeat the operation five
times.
8. Determine the frequency of AC Supply in each case by formula

And then take the mean value.

Observations
Mass per unit length of String = m = 0.002gm/cm

Mass of Pan = m1 = 13.5gm

 No. of Mass in Total No. of Total Total Frequency
Observation Pan Mass M Loops Length of Length of of AC
s m2 = n n Loop one Loop
gm m1+m2 L cm l=L cm
gm n
Or c/s

1 10 23.5 4 148 37.5 51.4

2 20 33.5 3 123 41 48.4
3 30 43.5 2 91 45.5 49.7
4 40 53.5 3 156 52 48.2
5 100 113.5 2 157 78.5 47.5
Result
The frequency of AC supply is given by

F= Hz