Mechanics Mechanical Vibration Acoustics

1.5.07-01/15 Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube

What you can learn about

 Transverse and longitudinal
waves
 Wavelength
 Amplitude
 Frequency
 Phase shift
 Interference
 Velocity of sound in air
 Loudness
 Weber-Fechner law

Principle:
If a sound wave of a particular fre-
quency is divided into two coherent
components (like, for example, light
waves in an interferometer experi-
ment), and if the path of one of the
component waves is altered, it is
possible to calculate the wavelength
of the sound wave and its frequency
from the interference phenomena
recorded with a microphone.
Set-up of experiment P2150715 with FG-Module

What you need:

Experiment P2150715 with FG-Module
Experiment P2150701 with multimeter
Measuring microphone 03542.00 1
Power frequency generator 1 MHz 13650.93 1
Digital multimeter 07134.00 1
Adapter, BNC-socket/4 mm plug pair 07542.27 1
Interference tube, Quincke type 03482.00 1 1
Sound head 03524.00 1 1
Vernier caliper 03010.00 1 1
Connecting cord, l = 150 cm, blue 07364.04 1 1
Connecting cord, l = 150 cm, red 07364.01 1 1
Support base -PASS- 02005.55 1 1
Support rod -PASS-, square, l = 630 mm 02027.55 2 2
Right angle clamp -PASS- 02040.55 5 5 Interference of sound waves in a Quincke tube. Sound amplitude as a func-
Cobra3 Basic Unit 12150.00 1 tion of the displacement d.
Power supply, 12 V- 12151.99 2
RS232 data cable 14602.00 1
Cobra3 Function generator module 12111.00 1 Tasks:
PowerGraph Software 14525.61 1 1. Record of the extension of a
LF amplifier 13625.93 1 Quincke tube for given frequen-
cies in the range 2000 Hz to 6000
Connection box 06030.23 1 Hz.
Resistor 1 W 5% 10 39104.01 1
2. Calculation of the frequencies
Microphone with amplifier 03543.00 1 from the wavelengths determined,
Support 09906.00 1 comparison with the given fre-
Connecting cord, l = 50 cm, red 07361.01 1 quencies.
Connecting cord, l = 50 cm, blue 07361.04 1
Connecting cord, l = 10 cm, red 07359.01 1
PC, Windows 95 or higher

Complete Equipment Set, Manual on CD-ROM included

Wavelengths and frequencies
with a Quincke tube P21507 01/15
64 Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE Systeme GmbH & Co. KG D - 37070 Gttingen
 LEP
Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube 1.5.07
-01

Related topics Adapter, BNC-socket/4 mm plug pair 07542.27 1

Transverse and longitudinal waves, wavelength, amplitude, fre- Support base -PASS- 02005.55 1
quency, phase shift, interference, velocity of sound in air, loud- Support rod -PASS-, square, l = 630 mm 02027.55 2
ness, Weber-Fechner law. Right angle clamp -PASS- 02040.55 5

Principle Tasks
If a sound wave of a particular frequency is divided into two 1. Record of the extension of a Quincke tube for given fre-
coherent components (like, for example, light waves in an interfe- quencies in the range 2000 Hz to 6000 Hz.
rometer experiment), and if the path of one of the component 2. Calculation of the frequencies from the wavelengths deter-
waves is altered, it is possible to calculate the wavelength of the mined, comparison with the given frequencies.
sound wave and its frequency from the interference phenomena
recorded with a microphone.

Set-up and procedure

Equipment
1. The experiment is set up as in Fig. 1.
Interference tube, Quincke type 03482.00 1
Sound head 03524.00 1 2. As many intensity minima as possible should be found for
Measuring microphone 03542.00 1 the frequencies 2000 Hz, 2200 Hz, 2400 Hz, and so on, up
Power frequency generator 1 MHz 13650.93 1 to 6000 Hz, which are set on the power frequency genera-
Digital multimeter 07134.00 1 tor. The realtive extensions of the tube are measured with
Vernier caliper 03010.00 1 the vernier. The selection switch on the microphone is set
Connecting cord, l = 1500 mm, blue 07364.04 2 to the position (=).

Fig. 1: Experimental set-up: Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube.

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21507-01 1
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1.5.07 Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube
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Theory and evaluation Fig. 2: Geometriy of the Quincke tube.

If two harmonic linear waves have the same frequency and the
same or opposite direction of propagation, the superimposi-
tion of the waves is obtained from:

Ar (x, t ) = A1 (x, t ) + A2 (x, t )

with
A1 (x, t ) = A1 ei ( k1 x
t )
and
A2 (x, t ) = A2 ei ( k2 x
t ),
where
2p
| k1| = | k2| = k = and that of the standing wave
l

Ar2 = 2 A2.
are the values of the wave vectors in the x-direction or the
opposite direction. The angular frequency is
It is assumed, without limitation, that A2 A1.
2p

= = 2 f. In a Quincke tube, a sound wave is subdivided by the branch-
T ing of the tube into two coherent components, which, after
The resultant wave appropriate deflection, travel towards each other and are
superimposed on each other (Fig. 2).
If the straigt sections of the tube a and b are the same size,
Ar (x, t ) = (A1 ei k1 x + A2 e i (k2 x  ) ) e i
t
then, because of the pressure drop along their path, the inten-
is likewise harmonic and has an angluar frequency
. sities of the sound waves impinging on the measuring point (2)
will be equal ( A1 = A2 ). In this case is Ar1 = 0, so that only a
If k1 and k2 are rectified, a progressive wave is always standing wave exists in the region of the measuring point.
obtained:
As the difference d in the lengths of the straight sections is
i ( kx
t) increased, the intensity difference at the measuring point also
Ar (x, t ) = Ar e becomes greater ( A2 < A1 ). In this case the amplitude Ar2 of
for k1 = k2 = k, with the amplitude the standing wave decreases, and that of the progressive
wave increases.
Ar = A1 + A2 e i  .

The amplitude of the resultant wave is a function of the phase

difference .

If k1 are opposed (Quincke tube), the resultant wave is a

superimposition of a standing wave and a progressive wave:

Ar ( x, t ) = (A1 e i kx+ A2 e -i ( kx  ) ) e -i
t

= (A1 e i ( kx + w )
2 + A2 e -i ( kx + w
2
)
) e -i (
t + w )
2

[
= (A1 A2) e i ( kx + w
2
)
+

+ A2 (e i ( kx + w
2
)
+ e -i ( kx + w )
2 )] e -i (
t w )
2

= Ar1 e i ( kx
t ) + Ar2 cos ( kx + w

2 ) e -i (
t + w
2
)

for k1 = k2 = k.

The amplitude of the progressive wave is

Ar1 = A1 A2 Fig. 3: Resonance wavelength dependent on the displace-

ment d.

2 21507-01 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen
 LEP
Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube 1.5.07
-01

Fig. 4: Comparison of calculated frequency fcal and measured Fig. 5: Connection of wavelength  and frequency f.
frequency f0.

If the measuring point is made x = 0, the sound pressure is

w w
p = Ar1 cos
t + Ar2 cos (cos
t + ).
2 2

For small values of Ar1, the amplitude of the sound pressure is

determined mainly by Ar2 cos w 2 . The sound pressure is
always at its minimum, when

w 2n1
= ; n = 0, 1, 2,
2 2
The frequency is obtained from the equation
The pressure minima are consequently expressed by:
c
c=f
f= (Fig. 4, 5).
2n1 l
dn = ; n = 0, 1, 2,
2
The propagation velocity c of the sound waves in air is
The gap between two minima corresponds exactly to half a
wavelength: c = 331.3 ms-1
l
d = dn +1 dn = . at 0 C, being dependent on temperature and air pressure. c is
2
determined at room temperature from
When b is extended by a distance d, the path is increased by
2d. Since 2d corresponds exactly to the wavelength, we
obtain croom temp. = 331.3 21  0.004 t at 1013 hPa,

 = 2d (Fig. 3). with t measured in C.

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21507-01 3
 LEP
1.5.07 Wavelengths and frequencies with a Quincke tube
-01

4 21507-01 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen