Ripple tank

    Cards (23)

    • What piece of equipment is used to observe the features of water waves?
      A ripple tank
    • What is a ripple tank?
      A shallow tray of water with a vibrating bar
    • What is the vibrating bar in a ripple tank connected to?
      A power pack
    • What happens when the bar in a ripple tank vibrates?
      It creates waves across the surface of the water
    • Where is the lamp positioned in relation to the ripple tank?
      Above the ripple tank
    • Where is the sheet of white paper positioned in relation to the ripple tank?
      Below the tank
    • What does the image on the paper represent when light shines through the water in a ripple tank?
      The image of the waves
    • What is the easiest way to record waves in the ripple tank experiment?
      Using a mobile phone
    • Why is it useful to record the waves using a mobile phone?
      Allows playback at different speeds or freezing
    • What is the first step in measuring the wavelength of waves in a ripple tank experiment?
      Place a ruler on the paper
    • What is the next step after placing a ruler on the paper to measure wavelength?
      Freeze the image of the waves
    • How should you measure the wavelength in the frozen image of the waves?
      Measure the distance between one wave and 10 waves further
    • If 10 wavelengths equal 26 centimeters, what is one wavelength in meters?
      0.026 meters
    • What is frequency?
      Number of waves passing a point each second
    • How can you accurately find the frequency of the waves?
      Count waves in 10 seconds and divide by 10
    • If 24 waves pass a point in 10 seconds, what is the frequency?
      2.4 Hertz
    • Why is it helpful to record the frequency measurement?
      To watch it in slow motion
    • What is the formula to determine the speed of waves using wavelength and frequency?
      Wave speed = frequency x wavelength
    • If the frequency is 2.4 Hz and the wavelength is 0.026 meters, what is the wave speed?
      0.0624 meters per second
    • What is an alternative way to determine the wave speed?
      Measure time to move length of tank
    • How do you calculate the speed by measuring the time it takes for a wave to travel the length of the tank?
      Divide the distance traveled by the time taken
    • Why might the two methods of calculating wave speed yield slightly different results?
      Due to measurement errors
    • What type of errors are likely to occur in this experiment?
      Timing errors
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