Submitted to:

Mr. Rohit Verma

Submitted by:
Parvesh kumar sahotra
Vivek thakur
Mohit kumar
Abhinav Ahuja

Introduction
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Melde’s experiment is a scientific experiment which was carried out by German physicist Franz Melde
on the standing waves produced in a tense cable connected to a vibrator. This experiment attempted to
demonstrate that mechanical Waves traveled in opposite direction from immobile points, called nodes.
These waves were called standing waves by Melde since the position of the nodes and loops Error
stayed static. Melds perform an experiment to determine the frequency of A.C. Mains. Our report is
based upon the Melde experiment on determination of the frequency of the ac mains.

Theory of Apparatus Used

TUNING FORK: It is a steel instrument consisting of two prongs and a handle which,
when stuck, emit a torn of fixed pitch, because of there simple mechanical structure, purity of torn and
constant frequency, tuning forks are widely used as standard of frequency in musical acoustics. In its
electrically driven form, a tuning fork serves to control electric circuit by producing frequency
standards of high accuracy and stability.

ELECTRICALLY MAINTAINED TUNNING FORK: An

electrically operated using fork apparatus includes a tuning fork having a base and a pair of tines. The
tines having tips remote from the base, and are formed of or include materials in which a magnetic
field can be induced. The tuning fork apparatus also includes an electrical coil configured to save at
least a portion of both times of the tuning fork. At least one of the tines can be vibrated relative to the
other of the tines by passing a varying current through the coil to include mutually repulsive magnetic
field in the time.

STAND: An object that supports another object, usually for display purposes.

CLAMP WITH PULLEY: Table clamp can hold the pulley rod in either of two
positions and in each, the rod may be rotate two positions and in each the rod may be rotate both
about its axis and a full 360 in a plane perpendicular to the table top. The clamp fits tables up to
5.6cm thick. The molded styrene 3.8cm sheave runs in adjustable cone bearings at the end of a 12cm
long rod.

A LIGHT WEIGHT PAN: A shallow, wide, open container, usually of metal as

without lid, used for holding liquids, weights etc.

WEIGHT BOX: it contains different weight stones that we put in the balance pan or in
this experiment we put them in a light weight pan.

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BALANCE: it is used to measure the weight of different things. In this experiment, it is used
to measure the weight of the pan and the threat.

A BATTERY ELEMINATOR: It is used in the place of an ordinary dry battery

as powder source for the equipment like radio receivers AM/FM tape recorders calculators etc. and
other low power operated equipments. Battery eliminator output voltage in DC which usually varies
from 1.5v/3v to 12vlts/upto 500mA. This item is reserved for manufacturer in small scale sector.
It consists of a transformer, rectifying circuit and a filter. The putout Dc is stepped down ad rectified
and filterer.

CONNECTING WIRES: These are used too connects the different apparatus used in
the experiment.

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Definitions

Oscillation: If body moves back and forth about A FIXED POINT AFTER regular
interval of time. It is called oscillations. The fixed point about which the body oscillates is called the
mean position or equilibrium position. The oscillatory motion is also called vibratory motion.

FREQUENCY:
The number of oscillation completed by an oscillate body in one seconds is called the frequency of the
body.

Points to remember

1. in transfer condition, the number of loops formed is more and is small in size.
2. The longitudinal, the number of loops formed are less and are bigger in size.

Crest

Elevation

Depression

r
Trough

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REFRACTION
COMPRESSION

Types of waves

1. Transverse Waves
2. Longitudinal Waves
3. Progressive Waves
4. Standing or stationary waves

 Traverse Waves:
The wave’s motion in which the particles of the medium vibrate about their mean positions at right
angles to the direction of prorogation of the wave is called transverse wave. E.g.: A wave in the
stretched string.
Ripples on the surface of the water. These waves travel in the form of crust and trough. The highest
point in the region of elevation of the medium through which the wave propagates is called crest and
lowest point in the region of depression is called trough.

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 D
I
S
P
L
A
C
E
M
E
N
T

Progressive Wave

 Longitudinal waves:

The wave motion in which the particle of the medium vibrate back and fro about there mean position
along the propagation of the wave is called longitudinal wave. When a longitudinal wave passes
through a medium, it is divided into the region of compression and rarefaction. In the compression
region, the density of the medium increases and the rarefaction region and density of the medium
decreases. E.g.: Wave produced when a spring rigidly fix at end and is pulled and then left, sound
waves.

 Progressive Wave:
A wave which travels from one point to another point of a medium is called progressive wave or
traveling wave. Progressive wave may be transverse or longitudinal. When progressive wave travel in
a medium then all the particles of the medium vibrate or oscillation changes from particle to particle at
any instant.

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 Standing or stationary waves:
When two progressive waves having the so amplitude and period, but traveling in opposite direction
with the same velocity super imposed a wave disturbance that does not appear to travel at all is
formed. Such a wave is called stationary or standing wave. These waves are called stationary because
there is no transfer of energy along the wave in the medium.
Types of stationary wave
1. Transverse stationary wave
2. Longitudinal Stationary wave

Transverse

Derivation of formulae used

 Transverse :
As wavelength = λ/2

ℓ= λ/2

λ=2ℓ

T
v= where l is the length of the thread and m is the mass per unit length thread and
m
t is the tension of the thread.
As ν=V*λ
So ν=V/ λ

T
=1/ λ
m

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 1 T
= (for transverse)
2l m

Longitudinal
As time period is equal to .5(time period of transverse)
 v’=2v
1 T
So, v’= (for longitudinal)
l m

Input voltage
volvoltage

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 Output voltage

Q). Why does tuning fork vibrate and if so why does it vibrate at 50 Hz?

A: as we get 220v, 50Hz AC power supply from the power station. When we supply this AC to
battery eliminator, battery eliminator contains a half wave rectifier circuit which converts Ac to Dc
but it is not a pure DC through battery. We connect electrically maintained tuning fork. As magnetic
µ• 2πNIa 2
field ‘B= 3
’ is produced in the coil and tuning fork is made of iron and carbon. As iron
4π ( x 2 + a 2 ) 2
ferromagnetic and strongly attracted by the coil in which the magnetic field produce. When the case is
from then fork are called attract toward the coil. But when the case is from then the forks came to its
original position and then repelled by the coil. As the DC of 50Hz supplied to the tuning fork so the
tuning fork vibrates at vibrates at 50Hz.

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Experimental Part

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency q AC mains by Melde’s experiment

APPARATUS:
1. Electrically maintained tuning fork
2. A standard with clamp and pulley
3. A light weight pan
4. A weight box
5. Balance
6. Battery Eliminator
7. Connecting Wire

THEORY:
A string can be sent into vibration by means of an electrically maintenance, tuning fork,
and thereby producing stationary waves due to reflection of the waves at the pulley.
The end of the string where it is fixed to the prong f the tuning fork and the position
where it touches the pulley are nodes.

For the transverse arrangement the frequency ‘n’ is given by:

1 T
N= where ‘l’ is the length of the thread in fundamental mode of vibration, ‘T’
2l m
the tension applied to the thread and ‘m’ the mass unit length of the thread.
If p loops are formed in the length ‘l’ of this then
P T
N=
l m

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 PROCEDURE:-
TRANVERSE ARRANGEMENT
i. Find the weight of pan P and arrange the apparatus as shown in fig.
ii. Place a load of 4 to 5gm in the pan attached to the end of the string passing
overt the pulley. Excite the tuning fork by witching on the power supply.
iii. Adjust the position of the pulley so that the string is set into resonant vibrations
and well defined loops are obtained. If necessary adjust the tension by adding
weights in the pan slowly and gradually. For finer adjustment add milligrams
weights so that are reduced to points.
iv. Measure the length of say 4 loops formed in the middle part of the string. If ‘l’ is
the distance in which 4loops are formed then distance b/w two consecutive node
l=l/4.
v. Note down the weight placed in the pan calculate the tension T= (wt in pan wt
+wt .of pan) g.
vi. Repeat the experiment twice by changing weight in the pan in steps of pulley
each time get well-defined loops.
vii. Measure one-meter length of the thread and find the value of m, the mass per
unit length.

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 OBSERVATION TABLE:

Mode of S.no No. Length of Length Tension Frequency

vibration of corresponding of each Mass T=(W+w)g (Hz)
loops Thread L loop in
(p) L/p=ℓ(cm)
ℓ(cm) pan

W
(g)
Transverse 1. 7 49
2. 6 150 21.42 40 54880 48
3. 5 45
144 24 50 64680

138 27.6 60 74480

Longitudinal 1. 4 48
2. 3 139 34.75 20 34055 44
3. 3 50
131 43.67 30 45080

123 41.0 40 54880

Error Analysis:
For transverse:
Relative % error in frequency
= ∆L + 1  ∆T + ∆m  *100
L 2 T m 
Where ∆ L = 1mm, ∆ T=1dyne
 1 1 1 
= +  + 0  ×100
1440 2  64680 
=  1 + 1 
 × 100
1440 129360 
=0.07%
For longitudinal:
Relative % error in frequency
= ∆L + 1  ∆T + ∆m  * 100
L 2 T m 
Where ∆ L = 1mm, ∆ T=1dyne

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  1 1 1 
= +  + 0  ×100
1310 2  44671.67 
=  1 + 1 
 × 100
1440 89343 .34 
=0.077%

Experimental error = 50 – mean *100

For transverse mode:

Exp error= 50-47.8*100/50
= 4.4%

For longitudinal mode:

Exp error= 50-48.44/50*100
=3.12%

PRECAUTION:

i. The thread should be uniform and inextensible.

ii. Well-defined loops should be obtained by adjust the tension with milligram
weights.
iii. Friction in pulley should be least possible.

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