ERIC Number: EJ1091370
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Mar
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
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Harmonic Resonances in Metal Rods--Easy Experimentation with a Smartphone and Tablet PC
Hirth, Michael; Gröber, Sebastian; Kuhn, Jochen; Müller, Andreas
Physics Teacher, v54 n3 p163-167 Mar 2016
A variety of experiments with smartphones and tablet PCs allow a precise analysis of acoustic phenomena. For example, we recently described an experiment in which a noise signal simultaneously triggered harmonic acoustic resonances in the air column of a tube open at both ends and a tube closed at one end. The measured resonant frequencies were used to determine the speed of sound in air with an error less than 4%. The present article describes experiments for harmonic resonances in another type of one-dimensional wave carrier, viz. clamped metal rods. Resonances are generated by hitting one end face of the rod; the resonant frequencies can then be measured by an app on a smartphone or tablet PC. The experiments can be used to explore how the excitement of particular resonant frequencies depend on boundary conditions like the length of the rod, the number and specific positions of fixed points of the rod, and the rod's material. In addition the rod's longitudinal (the so-called extensional) speed of sound can be determined.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Science Experiments, Acoustics, Scientific Concepts, Physics, Handheld Devices, Telecommunications, Technology Uses in Education
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://scitation.aip.org/tpt
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
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Language: English
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