
This diagram shows an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air.

A small amount of dust is scattered along the tube. The loudspeaker is switched on. When the frequency is set at the dust collects in small piles as shown in the diagram.
(b) On a copy of the diagram, show the movement of the air particles at positions ,.


Important Questions on Stationary Waves
This diagram shows an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air.
A small amount of dust is scattered along the tube. The loudspeaker is switched on. When the frequency is set at the dust collects in small piles as shown in the diagram.
(c) Mark two points on your diagram where the movements of the air particles are out of phase with each other. Label them .

The speed of a transverse wave on a stretched wire is given by the expression
Where is the tension in the wire.
A length of wire is stretched between two fixed point. The tension in the wire is . The wire is gently plucked from the middle. A stationary wave, of fundamental frequency , is produced.
The tension in the wire is now increased to . The percentage uncertainty in new tension is . The length of the wire is unchanged. Calculate the new value for the fundamental frequency when the wire is plucked in the middle. Your answer must include the absolute uncertainty written to an appropriate number of significant figures.
