PASCO WA-9612 RESONANCE TUBE - Manual (Page 22)

Resonance Tube 012-03541E
18
Suggested Research Topics
The following are a few suggestions for further
experimentation with the Resonance Tube.
➀ Obtain tubes of different diameters, all made from
the same material. Investigate the relationship be-
tween tube diameter and the speed of sound in the
tube.
➁ Using the same technique as in Experiment 4, mea-
sure the speed of sound outside the tube. (This can
be a bit tricky. It is particularly important to re-
move any reflective surfaces that might interfere
with the measurement.) How does the speed outside
the tube compare with the speed inside the tube?
➂ Seal the tube and fill it with a gas such as C0
2
, N
2
,
or O
2
. Determine the speed of sound in various gases.
➃ With one end of the tube open, calculate the speed
of sound in the tube with air flowing through the
tube. This can be done with the flow of air going
toward or away from the speaker. The speed of
sound as it moves with and against the stream of air
leads directly to a discussion of the Michelson-
Morley experiment.
➄ Use the holes in the side of the tube to investigate
the use of finger stops in musical instruments. How
does the open or closed hole effect the fundamental
frequency? Does it make a difference if the hole is
at a node or antinode of the standing wave pattern?