Purpose
Students investigate properties of mechanical waves using a helical spring: wavelength, speed, reflection, standing waves, interference.
Discussion
Neither amplitude nor frequency affects wave speed. As wave frequency goes up, wavelength goes down, and vice versa. Wave pulses can interfere constructively (adding together when on the same side of the spring) or destructively.
Neither amplitude nor frequency affects wave speed. As wave frequency goes up, wavelength goes down, and vice versa. Wave pulses can interfere constructively (adding together when on the same side of the spring) or destructively.
