====== Travelling Waves ====== {{tag> oscillations_and_waves standing_waves yak_milk_rope transmission located}} {{TravellingWaves_001.jpg?400|}} // // ===== Description ===== A clear rubber rope filled with barium sulphate (a high density powder). It's about 9.5m long (~31 feet). One end is capped with a piece of acrylic rod, the other end is tied to a large brass lobster clasp. ===== Purpose ===== This is a highly versatile demonstration. It can be used to demonstrate a number of concepts relating to waves and their propagation through media. It can be used to: * Demonstrate how transverse waves can propagate through a string, * Demonstrate the reflection of a pulse from a rigid-non-rigid boundary, * Demonstrate reflection and transmission of waves at a boundary, * Demonstrate standing waves, * Demonstrate different modes of standing waves. ===== Apparatus ===== * 'Yak's milk'((It was apparently named that by a previous professor who taught here some years ago. He was supposed to have an affinity for very colorful and interesting language- hence the name of this rope.)) rope ===== Setup ===== The tubing is stretched across the lecture theatre with one end fixed to a hook on the wall while the other end is free to be manipulated by hand to show the various demonstrations. If no hook is available, attaching it to a door handle or a volunteer student may also work. For the non-rigid reflection and for the partial reflection and transmission at a boundary the far end is attached to a piece of cord and the other end manipulated. The rope may also be laid flat on the floor and viewed with a camera from above. This is another way that travelling waves may be viewed. This definitely works better with the rope under tension and off the ground, though. Finally, with a TA or volunteer, standing waves can be produced in the Yak's milk rope. Higher-order standing waves can be obtained with sufficiently great effort. ===== Notes ===== // Demo room information // | **Location** | S4 | | **Maker** | Unknown | | **Current State** | Working |