BRAINCAKEWaves on a Stretched String
A string held under tension with both ends fixed, such as a guitar string, can carry stationary waves. In the lab a string runs from a vibration generator over a pulley, with masses hanging on the end to set the tension. The vibration generator is driven by a signal generator.
Waves travel along the string and reflect at the ends. At certain frequencies the reflected and incident waves form a stationary wave with large amplitude. The ends of the string cannot move, so they are always nodes.
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Key terms in this lesson
- node
- A point on a stationary wave where the amplitude is always zero.
More in Waves
- Interference
- Progressive Waves
- Stationary Waves
- Demonstrating Stationary Waves
- Speed and Frequency of Waves on a Stretched String
- Investigating the Factors Affecting Fundamental Frequency
- Fundamental Frequency
- Diffraction
All 22 lessons in Waves · All Edexcel AS-level Physics topics