Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring

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content provider: the Nuffield Curriculum Centre
written by the Nuffield Curriculum Centre

This is an experiment relating to wave motion appropriate for middle school physical science or high school physics. Slinky springs can be easily manipulated to produce both transverse or longitudinal waves, allowing users to compare and contrast them. This experiment explains how to create pulses and continuous waves using both Slinkies and rubber tubing, which produce pulses of different shape. The experiment can be very simple or may be adapted for use in more advanced classes.

SEE RELATED ITEMS on this page for a companion experiment using dynamics trolleys to model a dispersive system, as opposed to the continuous system represented by a Slinky.

This item is part of a much larger collection of physics/astronomy experiments, sponsored by the UK's Institute of Physics and funded by the Nuffield Curriculum Centre.

https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continu...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
General Physics - Curriculum Oscillations & Waves - Wave Motion = Longitudinal Pulses and Waves = Transverse Pulses and Waves	- High School - Middle School	- Instructional Material = Activity = Instructor Guide/Manual = Laboratory

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physical Science - Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics - AP Physics	- Lesson Plan - Activity - Laboratory - New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Learner
Educator
Format:: text/html
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2006 The Nuffield Foundation
Additional information is available.
Keywords:: Slinky, activities, experiment, hands-on, longitudinal waves, mechanical waves, practical physics, transverse waves, wave types, waves
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created March 5, 2009 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: August 16, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: October 27, 2007

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This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.

Topic: Wave Energy
Unit Title: Types of Mechanical Waves

A Slinky spring is one of the best ways to model both transverse and longitudinal waves. Teaching tips in this web site explain how to get the best results. Try teaming this experiment with the one above that uses dynamics trolleys connected by springs. Students can compare/contrast the wave motion in a continuous versus a dispersive system (trolleys).

Link to Unit:

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=8631">Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring. October 27, 2007.</a>

AIP Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre, (2006), WWW Document, (https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring).

AJP/PRST-PER

Nuffield Curriculum Centre, Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring (2006), <https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring>.

APA Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. (2007, October 27). Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring. Retrieved October 7, 2024, from https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring

Chicago Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring. October 27, 2007. https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring (accessed 7 October 2024).

MLA Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring. 2006. 27 Oct. 2007. Nuffield Curriculum Centre. 7 Oct. 2024 <https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring>.

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@misc{ Author = "Nuffield Curriculum Centre", Title = {Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {7 October 2024}, Month = {October 27, 2007}, Year = {2006} }

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%Q Nuffield Curriculum Centre %T Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring %D October 27, 2007 %U https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring %O text/html

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%0 Electronic Source %A Nuffield Curriculum Centre, %D October 27, 2007 %T Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring %V 2024 %N 7 October 2024 %8 October 27, 2007 %9 text/html %U https://spark.iop.org/collections/variety-waves#pulses-and-continuous-waves-slinky-spring

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Practical Physics: Pulses and continuous waves with a Slinky spring:

Is By The Same Author and Covers a Similar Topic As Practical Physics: Waves with Trolleys

A companion experiment using dynamics trolleys to produce transverse and longitudinal waves, allowing students to compare wave movement in a different system.

relation by Caroline Hall

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