Why graph frequency vs. 1/wavelength in resonance experiment

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SphericalStrife
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ok I'm definitely having trouble with this lab due tomorrow. We did a lab in class where you get an adjustable tube and use different tuning forks. With the different frequencies of the forks we adjusted the tubes until it reached resonance? (loudess point) Alright so we got a bunch of numbers and when it came down to it we were asked to graph the frequencies vs. 1/lamda, 1/lamda being the inverse of lamda. For my lab writeup I need to explain why we graphed this frequency vs. lamda. Now i know when i graph it, the slope of this Linear line is the velocity of sound in my experiment. I need to understand the significance of why we're graphing with 1/lamda...

What is 1/lamda vs. frequency?

frequency = oscillations/second, 1/length of wavelength
so what I'm getting is
oscillations/second*wavelength?
What is that??
 
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SphericalStrife said:
ok I'm definitely having trouble with this lab due tomorrow. We did a lab in class where you get an adjustable tube and use different tuning forks. With the different frequencies of the forks we adjusted the tubes until it reached resonance? (loudess point) Alright so we got a bunch of numbers and when it came down to it we were asked to graph the frequencies vs. 1/lamda, 1/lamda being the inverse of lamda. For my lab writeup I need to explain why we graphed this frequency vs. lamda. Now i know when i graph it, the slope of this Linear line is the velocity of sound in my experiment. I need to understand the significance of why we're graphing with 1/lamda...

What is 1/lamda vs. frequency?

frequency = oscillations/second, 1/length of wavelength
so what I'm getting is
oscillations/second*wavelength?
What is that??


Hi,

you are showing that wavelength(lamda) is inversely proportional to frequency.

And lastly, that the speed of sound is constant, for a given medium, from the formula speed = (lamda )wavelength* frequency(hz)
 



The lab you described is investigating the relationship between frequency and wavelength in determining the speed of sound. By using an adjustable tube and tuning forks of different frequencies, you were able to find the point of resonance where the sound produced was the loudest. This resonance occurs when the frequency of the tuning fork matches the natural frequency of the tube.

To explain why the graph was created using 1/lambda vs. frequency, it is important to understand the relationship between frequency, wavelength, and speed of sound. The speed of sound can be calculated by multiplying the frequency and wavelength, as shown in the equation v = f * lambda. Therefore, the slope of the graph of 1/lambda vs. frequency will represent the speed of sound in your experiment.

But why use 1/lambda instead of just lambda? This is because 1/lambda is known as the wave number, which is a unit used to measure the number of waves per unit length. By graphing 1/lambda instead of lambda, the slope of the graph will directly represent the wave number, which in turn represents the speed of sound.

In other words, the graph of 1/lambda vs. frequency allows for a direct measurement of the wave number and subsequently the speed of sound, without having to perform additional calculations.

To answer your question, 1/lambda vs. frequency represents the relationship between the wave number and frequency, which can then be used to determine the speed of sound in your experiment. I hope this helps clarify the significance of this graph in your lab writeup. Good luck!