Experiment 3: Wavelength vs. Frequency

Purpose:
To determine a relationship between the wavelength and frequency of a generic sinusoidal wave using simple measuring devices.

Materials:

• long spring
• meter sticks
• timer

Experiment:

This simple experiment can determine whether or not frequency is linearly proportional to wavelength.
First we measured the distance between us by setting 3 meter sticks end to end. This would be the wavelength of the wave. Then we made a sinusoidal wave by moving one end of the string up and down. By recording the time to take for the wave to move up and down ten times, we found the period of the wave which was then converted into frequency.

Data:

λ (m)	T (seconds)	f (1/s)
3.00	4.72	0.212
4.00	4.99	0.200
5.00	5.58	0.179

Data Analysis:
Looking at the graph it is observed that as frequency increase wavelength decreases, and viceversa. This is the relationship between wavelength and frequency.



Conclusion:
Although the relationship is not quite as linear as we want it, the graph still shows that as frequency increases, the values of the wavelength decreases. So the two are inversely proportional to each other.