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To determine the frequency of tuning fork by falling plate method. SPH-S008

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To determine the frequency of tuning fork by falling plate method. SPH-S008

To determine the frequency of tuning fork by falling plate method. SPH-S008

Category: Physics

Model No:SPH-S008

To determine the frequency of tuning fork by falling plate method

The Falling Plate Method Apparatus for Determining the Frequency of a Tuning Fork is a physics laboratory apparatus designed to determine the frequency of a vibrating tuning fork by measuring the motion of a falling plate or suitable recording arrangement.
The Falling Plate Method (often using tunes or traces on a smoked glass plate) is a classic physics experiment used to determine the unknown frequency of a tuning fork.

In this experiment, a tuning fork is made to vibrate and its vibrations are recorded on a suitable plate or recording surface as the plate falls under gravity. The resulting trace contains repeated marks corresponding to the oscillations of the tuning fork. By measuring the distance between successive marks and knowing the motion of the falling plate, students can calculate the time period and frequency of the tuning fork.

Contents

  1. Tuning fork of suitable frequency
  2. Falling plate or recording plate assembly
  3. Supporting stand and mounting arrangement
  4. Recording surface or suitable marking arrangement
  5. Release mechanism for the falling plate, where applicable
  6. Measuring scale
  7. Instruction manual with experimental procedure and observation table

 

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Product Description

To determine the frequency of tuning fork by falling plate method.

The experiment combines simple harmonic motion (SHM) with kinematics under gravity.

  • A tuning fork vibrates horizontally with SHM.
  • A smoked glass plate is allowed to fall vertically under gravity next to it.
  • A light stylus (pointer) attached to the tuning fork scratches a wave pattern onto the falling glass plate.
  • Because the plate accelerates downward due to gravity (\(g\)), the wavelengths (\(\lambda \)) of the traces become progressively longer.

Apparatus Required

  1. Tuning fork of unknown frequency 
  2. Smoked glass plate (coated with a thin layer of soot)
  3. Heavy wooden/metal stand with a guide rail and a release mechanism (to let the plate drop vertically without friction)
  4. Light stylus (a thin metallic wire or stiff paper pointer attached to one prong of the fork)
  5. Fine thread or cord with a suspension hook
  6. Meterscale to measure distances

Procedure

  1. Setup: Lightly coat one side of the glass plate with smoke using a kerosene lamp or candle. Clamp the tuning fork horizontally on the stand so that its stylus just lightly touches the smoked surface of the plate.
  2. Test Drop: Release the plate without vibrating the fork to draw a straight vertical reference line. Raise the plate back to the top and secure it.
  3. Vibrate & Drop: Excite the tuning fork using a rubber hammer. Immediately release the glass plate. As the plate falls, the vibrating stylus will trace a clear wavy path (sinusoidal wave) on the soot.
  4. Data Collection: Remove the plate carefully.
    • Choose a distinct starting wave peak.
    • Count a fixed number of waves (e.g., (N = 10) or (20)) and mark the end point. Measure this distance as (x_1).
    • Count the exact same number of waves ((N)) immediately following the first section. Measure this distance as (x_2).
  5. Calculation: Plug the measured values of  (x_1), (x_2), and  (N) into the formula to find (n). Repeat the experiment 2–3 times with different sections of the wave to calculate an average frequency.

Contents

  1. Tuning fork of suitable frequency
  2. Falling plate or recording plate assembly
  3. Supporting stand and mounting arrangement
  4. Recording surface or suitable marking arrangement
  5. Release mechanism for the falling plate, where applicable
  6. Measuring scale
  7. Instruction manual with experimental procedure and observation table

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