Name of the Experiment

To determine the frequency of a tuning fork by Melde's

Objectives
➢ To determine the frequency of a tuning fork.
➢ To understand the principles of standing waves and resonance.

Theory

P1 P2

Fig 1: Melde’s Apparatus

Let, one end B of the string, which is a piece of stout thread, be attached to one prong of the fork F. The
fork is screwed on a wooden base at the edge of a table. The other end A passes over a small pulley and is
attached to a scale pan S.
The string will be set into vibration by setting the tuning fork into vibration. As a result, waves will proceed
along the length of the string. The superposition of the direct and reflected waves will form stationary
waves, in which the extreme fixed ends of the string will always be notes and in between them there may
be one or more antinodes depending on the tenson or the length of the string.
In the transverse case, the frequency of the fork is twice the frequency of the string.
Therefore, the frequency n of the fork is,
1 𝑡 1 𝑡
𝑛 = 𝜆 √𝑚 = 2𝑙 √𝑚 (1)
Where l is the length of a segment or loop between two consecutive notes of the string.
Apparatus
Melde’s arrangement/apparatus, connecting wires, meter scale, thread, weight box, meter scale, power
supply etc.

Melde's apparatus - One end B of a light piece of thread is fastened to one prong of a large tuning fork F
which is screwed vertically on a wooden base W at the edge of a table (Fig 1). The other end A of the string
passes over a small pulley and is attached to a scale pan S on which loads can be placed to stretch the string.
By simply turning it through 90° about the fixing screw, the tuning fork can be set in two positions-transverse
and longitudinal to the direction of the stretched string.

Procedure
(i) Weighed the scale pan. Clamped the tuning fork in either transverse position at one edge of the table.
Fixed a pulley over a clamp, screwed at other edge of the table. Fasten a thread, about adjusteable
long, to the tip of the prong and pass the other end over the pulley. Hanged the scale pan to this end and
put some small weights on it so that the thread is lightly stretched.

(ii) Set the fork into vibration by a smart light blow with a rubber padded hammer. This would set the thread
into vibration and several nodes and loops, possibly ill defined, would appear. Noted the total number of
loops along the entire length of the thread. Increased or decreased the weight, as the case may be, until
the loops are well defined, i. e., the amplitude of the loops are maximum, the nodal points are fixed in
position--they do not change their position during the vibration and the loops are of equal length. When
this happened, resonance occurred between the fork and the particular mode of vibration of the string (Fig
1). During this procedure, fractional weights used, if needed be and care taken all the time so that the total
number of loops did not change. The weight for which the loops were most well-defined was the weight to
be used in calculation for the given number of loops.

(iii) Determined the length between two successive nodes. To do this place two pins P₁ and P2 of adjustable
heights below the two extreme well-defined nodes-but not below the nodes at the two ends of the string.
Accurately measured the distance between the two pins and count the total number of loops N between
them. Repeat the operation thrice by independently adjusting the positions of the pointers. Took the mean
length G which when divided by the number of loops between the pins gives the length I of G a segment.
𝐺
Thus 𝑙 = 𝑁 and 𝜆 = 2𝑙 for this particular weight. If T is the sum of the weight of the scale pan and weights,
put on it, then t = Tg.

(iv) Increased the weight in the scale pan or so when the total number of loops between the two fixed ends
become different. Noted this number. Taking care that this number did not change, repeated the operations
described in (ii) and (iii) to determine the new length l of a segment. In this way go on increasing the weight
on the pan in steps of about 5 gm. The number of loops would decrease with increasing weights. Noted the
total number of loops for each new weight and determine the corresponding I in the manner described in
(ii) and (iii).
(v) Repeated the whole process with the other mode of vibration of the fork, by turning the fork through
90° about the fixed screw. It may be mentioned that when the fork is in the transverse mode, more weight
will have to be put on the pan to start with.

(vi) At the end of the experiment, accurately determined the weight of a known length of the thread
with the help of a sensitive balance. Hence determined the mass per unit length of the thread. Also
determine the mass of the scale pan.

(vii) Calculate the frequency n of the given fork with the help of equation (1) and take the mean.

Data Collections
No of Total no Load Tension, Distance No of Length of a t = Tg Frequency of
obs. of loops on T = Wg between loops segment, the string
between the = (w + the pins between 𝒍 = 𝑮
𝑵 𝟏 𝒕
the fixed scale wt) g (G) the pins 𝒏= √
ends pan, dynes (N) 𝟐𝒍 𝒎
(wt)
gm
1
2
3
4
5

Table: Data for transverse position.

Calculations
a) Mass of the scale pan, w = ……………..gm
b) Length of the sample thread= ………..cm
c) Mass of the thread, M = ……………gm
d) Mean frequency in the transverse position = ……………….vibration/sec.

Results
Frequency of the fork = ………………….vibration/sec.
Discussions
a) The fork set into vibration by only a single stroke of the hammer and not by successive strokes.
b) The total number of loops increased or decreased by decreasing or increasing the load on the scale
pan, when the length of the string is fixed. For a given load the same done simply by increasing or
decreasing the length of the string.

c) As the nodes at the two ends of the string were not distinct, the pins placed not below these two
nodes but below the two nodes which are next to the two extreme nodes.

d) The string was uniform a linear density as possible.

Prepared by
Md. Mahabubul Imam Majumder
Lecturer of Physics
Mymensingh Engineering College, Mymensingh
Contact No: +8801635625069
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]