Department of Physics Course Code: PHIR11

National Institute of technology Course title: Physics-I

EXPERIMENT NO – 8

Object: To find the frequency of A.C.mains using sonometer.

Apparatus : A sonometer, a brass or eureka wire, hanger of weight 500 gm, weight box, bell transformer
of output voltage 8 volts A.C., horse-shoe magnet etc.

Theory And Formula Used:

A sonometer is an apparatus used to study the transverse vibrations of stretched strings. It is in the form
of a hollow wooden rectangular box. On the wooden rectangular box there are two bridges and a pulley at
one end. A wire string is attached to one end of the wooden box, run over the bridges and pulley and
carries a weight hanger at the free end as shown in figure below.
A sonometer is used to determine the frequency of alternating current. A step down transformer is used
for the determination of frequency of A.C. because the voltage of the A.C. mains is 220V, which is
dangerous. The step down transformer reduces this voltage to 6 volts.

The string wire of the sonometer is a non-magnetic metallic wire like brass or copper. A horse shoe
magnet is placed at the middle of the sonometer wire so that the magnetic field is applied perpendicular to
the sonometer wire in a horizontal plane. When an alternating current of definite frequency passes
through the wire there will be interaction between the magnetic field and the current carrying conductor.
So a force will act on the conductor in a direction perpendicular to both the field and the direction of
current. When A.C. is passing through the conductor, since the current direction reverses periodically, the
direction of force also reverse periodically and hence, the conductor vibrates. Since the current flowing is
alternating, the wire vibrates with a frequency equal to the frequency of A. C. By adjusting the length of
the vibrating wire segment, this frequency can be made equal to the natural frequency of the wire
segment. Then the resonance takes place and the wire vibrates with maximum amplitude. At this stage,
the length of the wire segment is called the resonating length and it increases with increase in the mass of
the suspended weights. When the length ‘l’ of the sonometer wire vibrates with maximum amplitude, the
frequency of the applied A.C. is equal to the natural frequency of the wire which is given by:

1 T
n
2l m
Where l = length of the sonometer wire between the two bridges when it is thrown into resonant
vibrations.
 T = tension applied to the wire
m = mass per unit length of the wire

Method: The frequency of A.C. supply can be determined by using a wire made of a non-magnetic
material say brass or eureka wire by the following method.

1. Stretch the given non-magnetic wire on the sonometer with a given tension say 500 gm.
2. Connect the output terminals of step-down transformer (Bell transformer) to the ends terminal of
the wire at any two convenient points as shown in the Fig. 1

Fig. 1 Experimental set up of sonometer.

3. Place a horse-show magnet in the plane of the wire so that its poles N and S lie at the middle of
the wire, one on each side of it.
4. The wire is now a current carrying conductor lying in a magnetic field. The wire will be forced
upwards and downwards when the current flows through the wire according to Fleming’s left-
hand rule.
5. Adjust the length of the vibrating segment of the wire till the wire begins to vibrate in resonance
with the frequency of the A.C. supply. Note down the increasing length l 1 between the two
wedges. Now increase the length betweentwo wedges W1&W2 (say 5 to 6 cm). Again adjust the
wedges for resonance length and note down l 2 the decreasing resonance length. Now find out the
mean resonance length ( l ).
 6. Repeat the experiment with different tensions and also determine ‘m’ the mass of 1 cm of wire.

Observations: The mass of 1 cm of wire (m) = ---------------- gms/ cm.

Tension Resonance Length Mean 1 T

Result:

Mean frequency of A.C. supply = ------------- cycles / sec

Actual frequency of A.C. supply = 50 cycles/ sec.

Percentage Error :

Standard Value - Observed Value

Sources of error and precautions:

1) The length of the wire should be carefully adjusted to obtain vibration of fairly large
amplitude
2) The poles of the magnet should not touch the wire.
3) The sonometer wire should be uniform and without kinks.
4) Horse shoe magnet should be placed in the middle.
5) The pulley should be free from friction.

SAMPLE ORAL QUESTIONS

1. What do you understand by the frequency of AC Mains?

3. How does the sonometer wire vibrate when AC is passed through it?

4. If you pass a DC through the wire, will it vibrate?

5. What are the chief sources of errors in this experiment?

6. What is the use of magnet here?

7. What is Fleming’s left hand rule?

8. What is resonance?

9. What is fundamental mode of vibration?

10. Why do we take the material of wire to be non-magnetic?

11. What is the principle of this experiment?

12. What is an A.C. Sonometer?

13. Why a non-magnetic wire is used to measure AC frequency?