Waves

Principles Illustrated: Two-Dimensional Resonance Patterns

Location: Cabinet C, Shelf 3

An oscillator drives a heavy-duty transducer with plug-in connectors for the plates. Sand scattered on the plates travels to anti-nodes.

Square and circular plates available.

Principles Illustrated: (De)Composition of Complex Waveforms

Location: Cabinet C, Shelf 4

Harmonics (with adjustable phase) of a single fundamental are generated and then summed at a single output. Show that Fourier addition actually works in practice.

Used with an oscilloscope/camera/projector to view the output.

Principles Illustrated: Geometric Construction of Interference Pattern

Location: Cabinet C, Shelf 3

Two plastic sheets are marked with parallel semi-circles. When placed atop of each other, the interference pattern is clearly visible.

For use on an overhead projector.

Principles Illustrated: Waveform decomposition

A laser and oscilloscope are projected up onto a screen. When the X and Y signals are integer multiples, Lissajous figures are formed.

Principles Illustrated: Traveling Wave Effects

Waves are produced in water by a ripple generator and illuminated by a timed LED strobe. The waves are reflected by a mirror and seen on the image screen as bright and dark patterns (interference) showing nodes and antinodes.

Principles Illustrated: Longitudinal and Transverse Waves

Location: Cabinet B, Shelf 3

A Slinky is used to demonstrated longitudinal waves.

A one inch diameter spring coil, 8 feet long, is used to show transverse and traveling waves.

Principles Illustrated: Waves

Location: Cabinet C, Shelf 3

A Sine Wave Generator drives a string under tension and may be tuned to produce standing waves. The frequency, amplitude, tension and length of the string can be varied. The fundamental frequency can be stored and used to increment the generator allowing harmonics to be produced in succession.

Principles Illustrated: Standing and Traveling Waves

Location: Back Counter

A versatile unit with a removable end stop, electric driver and attachments to demonstrate coupled oscillations (pendula).