Question

1. Write down the symbol, units, and a simple description of the wavelength of a sinusoidal wave. Sketch this definition in a figure 2. Write down the symbol, units, and a simple description of the frequency of a sinusoidal wave. Sketch this definition in a figure. 3. Write down the relation between the driving frequeney, the wavelength of the standing wave and the wave speed in a string. (Write one equation and identify each variable with a one line sentence. 4. In the experiment you will observe well defined "bumps" in the string, and you will measure their length. What is the relation between this length and the wavelength of the wave. (Give a short answer, as a mathematical relation or a one sentence statement).

Answer 1

(1,2,3&4) A wavelength(SI unit - m) is a measure of distance between two identical peaks or crests or between two identical troughs in a wave.

The wavelength λ of a sinusoidal waveform traveling at constant speed v is given by

  

where v is called the phase speed of the wave and f is the wave's frequency.

Frequency (SI derived unit = Hertz) is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time.

The relation between the frequency and the period T is given by