PhysicsGrade 10Mechanical Oscillation and Sound Wave

Wave Lab: Frequency, Amplitude, and Speed

Drive a wave through a medium, tune amplitude, frequency, wavelength, and damping, then measure period, speed, and energy transfer.

SimulationsLab index
Textbook unitMechanical Oscillation and Sound WaveGrade 10 Physics Unit 6 reference
Keywordswave, frequency, amplitude, wavelength, periodMapped to available textbook headings
Practice modeManipulate, measure, explainUse the controls, then read the live evidence

Physics · Grade 9

Drive a wave and measure its motion

Tune the driver and medium, then observe how amplitude, frequency, wavelength, speed, period, and damping connect.

Mediumstretched rope
1

Wave equation: set frequency 2 Hz and find wavelength. Does v = f × λ hold? Record wave speed in the current medium.

2

Medium change: switch rope to water to air. Does amplitude affect wave speed? What does change it?

3

Energy and damping: double amplitude. How does energy index change? Add damping — where does the energy go?

PhETWave on a String
Full screen ↗
amplitudewavelengthdrag
Driver2.0 Hz
Wave speed6.00 m/s
Damping length4.0 sections
Wave insight

High amplitude: energy index 256.00. Wave energy ∝ A². Doubling amplitude quadruples energy. Speed unchanged — medium determines speed, not amplitude.

Speed6.00 m/s
Period0.500 s
Wavelength3.0 m
Energy index256
Relationshipv = f × λ

Lab task

Keep wave speed near 6 m/s using two different frequency and wavelength pairs. Record both and compare their periods.

Observation rule

Wave speed equals frequency times wavelength. Amplitude changes energy transfer, while damping reduces wave size as it travels.

Mission

What to prove in this lab

  1. Relate frequency, wavelength, and wave speed using live measurements.
  2. Compare how amplitude and damping change the visible wave without changing frequency.
  3. Use period and energy transfer to describe an oscillating system.