Required Practical - Ripple Tank
Physics: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 6.1.10
Ripple Tank
A ripple tank can be used to observe waves and calculate wave speed.
Ripple tank
- Water waves can be set up in a ripple tank, where a rod at one end of a tank of water creates a series of ripples.
- A bright light shone through the water onto a sheet of paper shows the ripples on the water very clearly as a series of parallel lines travelling along with constant speed.
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Wavefronts
- These parallel lines are the peaks of the ripples on the water. We call them wavefronts.
- The distance between two wavefronts is the wavelength.
Wave speed
- Ripple tanks allow us to calculate the wave speed.
- The equation for wave speed is:
- Wave speed = frequency × wavelength
Units
- Wave speed is measured in m/s.
- Wave frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz).
- Wavelength is measured in meters (m).
Test yourself on Required Practical - Ripple Tank
What is the distance between two wavefronts?
A student measures the distance from the peak of a water wave to the trough of a water wave. This distance is 0.80 m. State the amplitude of this water wave.