How does a ripple tank work BBC Bitesize?
How does a ripple tank work BBC Bitesize?
A ripple tank is a transparent shallow tray of water with a light shining down through it onto a white card below in order to clearly see the motion of the ripples created on the water’s surface. Ripples can be made by hand but to generate regular ripples it is better to use a motor.
What is a hazard with the ripple tank experiment?
Hazards and control measures
| Hazard | Consequence | Control measures |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical components near water | Shock, damage to goods | Secure electrical components before adding water taking care not to splash |
How do you improve ripple tank experiment?
Method
- Set up the ripple tank as shown in the diagram with about 5 cm depth of water.
- Adjust the height of the wooden rod so that it just touches the surface of the water.
- Switch on the lamp and motor and adjust the speed of the motor until low frequency waves can be clearly observed.
How can wavelength be measured in a ripple tank?
Learners use a ripple tank or tray to work out the wavelength of a water wave. Learners create ripples on the water and measure the distance between waves 1 times and then work out the mean wavelength.
What is period of a wave?
A wave’s period measures how long it takes for a wave to pass a given point in its entirety, from crest to crest. Frequency and period are basically measuring the same characteristic of a wave and can be related by the equation period = 1 / frequency.
What are the different types of waves?
Types and features of waves Waves come in two kinds, longitudinal and transverse. Transverse waves are like those on water, with the surface going up and down, and longitudinal waves are like of those of sound, consisting of alternating compressions and rarefactions in a medium.
What type of wave can be produced in a ripple tank?
Circular waves
Circular waves can be produced by dropping a single drop of water into the ripple tank. If this is done at the focal point of the “mirror” plane waves will be reflected back.
What do the dark and bright fringes on ripple tank?
The ripple tank is used to generate water waves in laboratory. The waves will be seen in bright and dark patches on the screen below the tray. These patches show the position of the crests and troughs of the waves. The dark patches will correspond to the crests and bright patches will be the troughs.
Which wave has the longest period?
The wave with a frequency of 6 Hz has the longest period. Period and frequency have an inverse relationship. thus, the wave with the lowest frequency has the longest period.
How are waves described in a ripple tank?
Waves may be transverse (eg water wave) or longitudinal (eg sound wave). Wave motion can be described using the terms amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period. A ripple tank can be used to measure the wavelength of waves on the water’s surface.
What can a ripple tank be used for?
A ripple tank can be used to measure the wavelength of waves on the water’s surface. A ripple tank is a transparent shallow tray of water with a light shining down through it onto a white card
How do you make ripples in the water?
Ripples can be made by hand but to generate regular ripples it is better to use a motor. To measure the frequency, wavelength and speed of waves in a ripple tank. Set up the ripple tank as shown in the diagram with about 5 cm depth of water. Adjust the height of the wooden rod so that it just touches the surface of the water.
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