USER MAUAL FOR : SOOMETER – VERIFICATIO OF LAWS OF

STRETCHED STRIGS EXPERIMET

AIM: -To verify the laws of transverse vibrations of stretched strings.

APPARATUS: -Sonometer set up, Slotted weights 2 ½ kg, Tuning fork box, Rubber pad,
Different types of wires (Brass, Copper and Steel).

DESCRIPTIO: -A Sonometer consists of a hollow rectangular box made of teak wood and
covered with a thin plank of soft wood. The box is provided with two long fixed knife-edges
parallel to its breadth. At one end two or three pegs are provided to which the strings of various
material and radii can be firmly attached. These strings may be passed over the fixed knife-edges,
carried over tiny smooth pulley at the other end of the box and attached to weight hangers at their
ends. The movable knife-edges can adjust the vibrating segments of the string.
Resonance takes place when the frequency of the external body (tuning fork) is equal to the
natural frequency of the segment of the wire.
At resonance energy transfer from the external body (tuning fork) takes place and the segment of
wire between A and B vibrates with maximum amplitude.

THEORY: -A stretched string when plucked at its middle and released, it vibrates in a single
loop, which is the fundamental mode of transverse vibrations and emits a note of frequency ν,
depending on the tension (T) the length of the vibrating loop (l) and the mass per unit length (m)
of the wire. The relation connecting the above quantities is given by:
1
ν = T/m -------------(1)
2l
From above relation, the laws of transverse vibration of stretched strings may be stated as:
(i) The frequency (ν) of stretched string is inversely proportional to its length (l), T and m
being constant, that is,
ν l = constant, K ---------(2)
(ii) The frequency (ν) of a stretched string is inversely proportional to the square root of its
linear density (m); ‘T’ and ‘l’ being constant. That is,
ν²m = constant, K -----------(3)
(iii) The frequency (ν) of a stretched string is proportional to the square root of its tension (T);
‘m’ and ‘l’ being constant. That is,
ν²
= Constant K ------------(4)
T
It is difficult to verify the second and third law directly. Hence, they are verified indirectly as
follows: we have from equation (1).
1
ν = T/m
2l
1 T
Or ν ² = ------------(5)
4l ² m
From equation (5), it follows that if (T/l²) is shown to be constant, it can be assumed
that ν ²m = constant, and the second law is verified.
Similarly, from equation (5) if (ml²) is shown to be constant, it can be assumed that (n²/T) is
constant, and the third law is verified.

1
Therefore, to verify the law of stretched strings, the following relations are to be verified.
(i) The product (ν l) is constant, when T and m are constant.
(ii) The ratio (T/l ²) is constant, when ν and m are constant.
(iii) The product (ml²) is constant, when ν and T are constant.

PROCEDURE: -
1) Verification of first law: -A load is applied to the wire, in order to produce suitable
tension (T) in it. Three different tuning forks of known frequency are chosen and one of
them excited. Keeping the tension constant (T), the experiment is repeated with other
tuning forks.
2) Verification of second law: - To verify the second law the resonant lengths (l) are
determined with different tensions (T) using the same forks and sonometer wire.
3) Verification of third law: - For this three different type of material of the wire is taken
and tabulated as table 3.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: -
Knife-edges

String

Pulley

A B

Weight
T hanger
Sonometer box

OBSERVATIO TABLE: - Load applied (M)= gm, Tension (T) = Mg= dyne
1) Sr Frequency ν (Hz) Length of the segment , l (cm) νl
Trial 1 Trial 2 Mean

2) Frequency of the tuning fork ,ν = Hz, Linear density of the wire ,m= gm/cm

Sr Tension T (dyne) Length of the vibrating segment ,l (cm) T/l 2

Trial 1 Trial 2 Mean

3) Frequency of the tuning fork, ν = Hz, Tension applied ,T= dyne

Sr Material density Diameter Linear Resonating length, l (cm) ml2

of the wire of wire,ρ of wire, d density, m Trial 1 Trial2 Mean
(gm/cm3) (cm) (gm/cm)