Oscillations and Waves > Waves > Standing Waves DCS# 7A50.40

STANDING WAVES IN A CIRCULAR WIRE


APPARATUS
pasco driver 202-17-A3
function generator/amplifier 202-17-A3
wire loop
202-17-D
strobe light 202-17-F


DESCRIPTION
Set the driver to a frequency that produces standing waves in the circular wire.  Set the strobe light close to the same frequency to slow the motion.  The standing waves provide a 2-D analog of stationary states as standing matter waves in atoms.

NOTES
Resonant frequencies:
frequency (Hz)
number of nodes
19
3
71
5
148
7
249
9
375
11
Only standing waves with odd numbers of nodes are produced.   The point opposite the driver will always be an antinode since waves traveling each way around the loop will always be in phase at the point equidistant from the driver.  The driver is located at a node.

REFERENCES

Meiners 38-6.5.

Y. K. Vijay, "Mechanical oscillations in a circular loop", AJP 64, 1077-1078, (1996).

Danning Bloom, Dan W. Bloom, " Vibrating Wire Loop and the Bohr Model", TPT, Vol. 41, May 2003, p. 292.

"Standing Waves in a Circle", AJP, 33 (10) xiv.