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mitchy16
- 23
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Homework Statement
Determine sources of error which could have affected the results.
Some background information: The lab consisted of playing a tone generated by a tone generator above a standing open-closed tube which had water in it. The first harmonic was measured through a computer system, by determining when the loudest volume was and the tube length where it occurred was recorded.
The experimental setup was a long tube was placed standing up which had water in it, and it was connected to another water cup through a tube, and the water cup was moved up and down in order to determine the L at which the highest volume occurs. There was a tone generator at the top of the tube. The top of the tube was open.
The percent error I obtained was 76% (very high I know, but the TA said it is expected to be that large).
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
First source of error: measurement increments on the tube are inaccurate
Second source of error: due to human hearing, maybe I didn't hear the highest volume and it resulted in the results being altered.
My TA said the sources of error have to well thought out and not the generic ones, like my first one. I'm not too sure what else I can include. Any help is appreciated!
EDIT: Could one be that there are alternate particles (such as water) in the air and that could cause discrepencies in the speed of sound?