Attach one end of a rope (or a spring such as a Slinky) to

Chapter 13, Problem 13.73

(choose chapter or problem)

Attach one end of a rope (or a spring such as a Slinky) to a wall, stretch it taut, and use the system to study the following aspects of wave motion: (a) Send a pulse down the rope by striking it sharply from the side. An observer watching from the side can measure the time elapsed during 35 trips of the pulse from one end to the other. Dividing the total distance traveled by the elapsed time yields the wave speed. To get reliable results, take a number of readings and average them. (b) Use the same setup as in part (a) to test whether the initial amplitude of the pulse changes the wave speed. (c) Have two people hold opposite ends of the rope (or spring). Then, at the same instant, have both people hit the rope sharply from the side. Observe what happens when the two pulses meet. The superposition lasts only for the short time that the pulses overlap, and you must look carefully to see the effect. (d) Using the same setup, devise a way to check whether pulses traveling toward one another pass through when they collide or reect off each other. (e) Tie one end of a rope to a doorknob and send a pulse down it. Observe what happens when the pulse reects from the door. Does it return on the same side of the rope, or does it invert?