Name of the experiment: To verify the laws of transverse vibration of strings

and to determine the frequency of a tuning fork by Melde’s experiment.

1.1 Objectives:
The main objective of this experiment is to find out the frequency of an electrically maintained
tuning fork by transverse mode of vibration and longitudinal mode of vibration.

1.2 Pre-lab:
Student should read the lab manual and have clear idea about the objective, time frame and
outcomes of the lab.
1.3 Outcomes:
After completing this experiment student should be able to answer the following questions:

• How stationary waves form?

• What are nodes and antinodes?
• How resonances occur?
• How the frequency of a tuning fork can be calculated in both transverse and longitudinal
position?

1.4 Timing and Length of Investigation (Total 4 Hours):

• Lab Preparation (15 minutes):
▪ For attendance and equipment distribution among the groups.
• Lecture on Theory (30 minutes):
▪ Teacher will clarify the objective and theory of the experiment.
• Lecture on Procedure (15 minutes):
▪ Demonstrator will make the students understand the procedure of the
experiment.
• Experimental Work (90 to 100 minutes):
▪ Design of experiment: 10 minutes
▪ Data collection: 30 minutes
▪ Data analysis, drawing graphs and completing the result part: 50 to 60
minutes
• Post Lab Discussion (15 to 20 minutes):
▪ Teacher will summarize the total lab work and have a discussion with the
students related with the questions given in the outcomes part.
• Report Submission: (1 Hr)
▪ Student will prepare their lab reports as groups in MS word within one
week and must submit their group lab reports as printed before the starting
of the next lab.
1.5 Theory:
Let one end of B of the string be attached to one prong of the fork F. The other end A passes
over a small pulley and is attached to a scale pan (Figure:1).

Figure-1: Arranging the Melde’s apparatus

The string will be set into vibration by setting the tuning fork into vibration. As a result, waves
will proceed along the length of the string and will be reflected back on reaching the fixed end of
the string. The superposition of the direct and reflected waves will form stationary waves, in
which the extreme fixed ends of the string will always be nodes and in between them there may
be one or more antinodes depending on the tension to which the string is subjected or the length
of the string.

Now by suitably adjusting the tension or the length, the frequency 𝑓 of the fork may be made to
equal to the frequency 𝑓 ′ of the fundamental or any one of the higher tones of the string. When
this happens, a resonance is said to have occurred between the fork and the particular mode of
vibration of the string.
If the mode of vibration be assumed to be fundamental then the wavelength, 𝜆 = 2𝑙, where 𝑙 is
the length of the string. The frequency of the fork will then be given by the relation,

1 𝜏 1 𝜏
𝑓 = 𝑓′ = √ = √
𝜆 𝜇 2𝑙 𝜇

Where 𝜇 is the mass per unit length of the vibrating string in grams and 𝜏 is the tension applied
to the string and is expressed in absolute units, i.e., dynes or pounds.

Now the motion of the prongs of the fork, which sets the string in resonant vibration, can be in
two different directions-

(i) In a direction perpendicular to the length of the string i.e., transverse position (Figure:2)
and
(ii) In a direction along (parallel) the length of the string i.e., longitudinal position (Figure:2)

Figure-2: Longitudinal and Transverse mode of vibration

In the transverse case, the frequency 𝑓 of the fork is the same as 𝑓 ′, the frequency of the string.
While in the longitudinal case the frequency of the fork 𝑓 is double of 𝑓 ′. This is because in the
longitudinal case, the vibration is produced by the alternating pulls upon the end of the string by
the prong of the fork. Each movement of the prong to the right pulls the string tight, i.e., the
string is stretched and this occurs in the middle of the swing, i.e., twice in every vibration. Thus
in this case, the frequency of the string is half that of the fork, or in other words, the frequency of
the fork is twice the frequency of the string.

Therefore, for transverse position, the frequency of the fork is,

1 𝜏
𝑓 = 𝑓′ = √ … … … … … … (1)
2𝑙 𝜇

Where 𝑙 is the length of a segment or loop between two consecutive nodes of the string. Thus,

1 𝜏
𝑓2 =
4𝑙 2 𝜇
𝜏
∴ = 4𝜇𝑓 2 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑙2

For longitudinal position,

2 𝜏 1 𝜏
𝑓 = 2𝑓 ′ = √ = √ … … … … … (2)
2𝑙 𝜇 𝑙 𝜇

𝜏
∴ = 𝜇𝑓 2 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
𝑙2

Thus by altering the tension 𝜏 and hence the wavelength, the frequency of the tuning fork can be
𝜏
determined and also 𝑙2 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 can be found which verifies the laws of transverse vibrations
in a string.

1.6 Apparatus:
Melde’s apparatus, string, meter scale, weight box etc.
1.7 Procedure:
1. Weight the scale pan. Clamp the tuning fork in either transverse or longitudinal position
at one edge of the table. Fix a pulley over a clamp, screwed at other edge of the table.
Fasten a thread to the tip of the prong and pass the other end over the pulley. Hang the
scale pan to this end and put some small weights on it so that the string is lightly
stretched.
2. Now rotate the screw of an electrically maintained tuning fork (i.e. excite the tuning
fork), so that vibration in tuning fork gets started and several nodes and loops can
possibly be seen.
3. Increase or decrease the weight until the loops are maximum, the nodal points are fixed in
position and the loops are of equal length. When this happens, resonance occurs between
the fork and the particular mode of vibration of the string. The loops can also be well
defined by adjusting the length of the string, keeping the weight on the pan fixed.
4. To determine the length between two successive nodes, place two pins P 1 and P2 of
adjustable heights below the two extreme well defined nodes. Accurately measure the
distance between the two pins and count the total number of loops between them. Repeat
the operation three times by independently adjusting the positions of the pointers. From
these observations, calculate the length 𝑙 of a segment.
5. Increase the weight in the scale pan by about 5 gm or so when the total number of loops
between the two fixed ends becomes different. Repeat the operations described in 2, 3
and 4 to determine the new length of a segment. In this way, go on increasing the weight
on the pan in steps of about 5 gm. The number of loops will decrease with increasing
weights. Note the total number of loops for each new weight and determine the
corresponding 𝑙 in the manner described in 2, 3 and 4.
6. Repeat the whole process with other mode of vibration of the fork, by turning the fork
through 900.
7. At the end of the experiment, determine the weight and length of the string. Hence
determine the mass per unit length of the thread. Also determine the mass of the scale
pan.
8. Calculate the frequency of the given fork with the help of equations (1) and (2).
 (C)

3
2
1
No of Observation

Total no of loops between

the fixed ends

Load on the scale pan 𝒘𝒕

(gm)
(
Tension 𝝉 = 𝒘 + 𝒘𝒕 )𝒈
(dynes)
1.8 Observations and Calculation:

Distance between the pins G

(cm)
(B) Length of the string, 𝐿 = … … … … . 𝑐𝑚

Mass of the string, 𝑀 = … … … … … . . 𝑔𝑚

No of loops between the

(A) Mass of the scale pan, 𝑤 = … … … … … . 𝑔𝑚

So, the mass per unit length of the thread, 𝜇 =

pins N
𝐿
𝑀

𝑮
Length of a segment 𝒍 = 𝑵 Table-1: Table for longitudinal position
(cm)

Frequency of the fork 𝒇 =

𝟏 √𝝉
𝟐𝒇′ = 𝒍 𝝁
(Vibration/sec)
∴ 𝜇 = … … … … … . . 𝑔𝑚/𝑐𝑚
=−−−−−−−−−−

Mean frequency 𝒇𝟏
(Vibration/sec)

𝝉
= 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝒍𝟐
 (D) Table-2: Table for transverse position

Distance between the pins G

Frequency of the fork 𝒇 =

Length of a segment 𝒍 = 𝑵
𝑮
Total no of loops between

Load on the scale pan 𝒘𝒕

No of loops between the

Tension 𝝉 = 𝒘 + 𝒘𝒕 )𝒈

Mean frequency 𝒇𝟐
No of Observation

= 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
(Vibration/sec)

(Vibration/sec)
the fixed ends

𝒇′ = 𝟐𝒍 𝝁
𝟏 √𝝉
(dynes)

pins N
(gm)

(cm)

(cm)
(

𝒍𝟐
𝝉
1

𝑓1 +𝑓2
(E) Mean frequency of the fork 𝑓 = = −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
2

∴ 𝑓 = … … … … … … … … … . 𝑣𝑖𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛/𝑠𝑒𝑐

1.9 Result:
𝜏
The law of transverse vibration of string is verified by showing = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 and the
𝑙2

frequency of the tuning fork is ………………………………. Vibration/sec.

1.10 Resources:
For further understanding, students may go through the following resources:
• Fundamentals of Physics: Transverse and Longitudinal waves (Chapter 16, page
445), Waves on a stretched string (Chapter 16, Page- 452), Standing wave and
resonance (Chapter 16, page- 465)
• Video Link:
Transverse and Longitudinal modes of vibration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Anh9HthWgQ
Melde’s experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwWPDqHFxOg