Chapter 17 Virtual Lab

Standing Waves in an Air Column

Uses: standing longitudinal waves, speed of sound, variation of speed of sound due to differences in temperature and medium.

The length of the air column in a vertical tube is adjusted by adding and removing water from the tube.

Gasses other than air are available.

Notes of various frequencies are sent into the air column and are amplified when the length of the air column appropriately matches the wavelength of the sound in the selected gas.