What is heard when the air column in a resonance tube reaches a resonant length?

The sound from the tuning fork becomes noticeably louder, because the air column is being driven at one of its own natural frequencies and a standing wave of large amplitude builds up in it.

Where are the node and antinode when a resonance tube is at its first resonance?

There is a node at the water surface, which acts as the closed end, and an antinode at the open top of the tube.

How is the first resonance length of the air column related to the wavelength?

The first resonance occurs when the air column is approximately a quarter of a wavelength long.

How is the second resonance length of the air column related to the wavelength?

The second resonance occurs when the air column is approximately three quarters of a wavelength long.

Why are two resonance lengths measured rather than just the first?

The difference between them is exactly half a wavelength, and taking the difference cancels out the fact that the antinode lies slightly outside the open end, which would otherwise make every measured length too short.

CCEA A-Level Physics 1210

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Superposition, Interference and Diffraction

Measuring the speed of sound with a resonance tube

3 things to know
Unit AS 2

Overview

End correction in a resonance tube experiment and two sources of uncertainty in a resonance tube experiment.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Describe an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air using a resonance tube.

Numbers

A tuning fork of frequency 440 Hz gives resonance at air column lengths of 0.185 m and 0.560 m. Calculate the speed of sound.

Key term

Why is a tuning fork preferred to a whistle or the human voice as the source in a resonance tube experiment?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Describe an experiment to measure the speed of sound in air using a resonance tube.
Model answer
A vertical tube is partly filled with water so the air column above it is closed at the bottom, a vibrating tuning fork of known frequency is held over the open top, and the water level is slowly lowered until the sound becomes markedly louder, the length of the air column being recorded at the first and second such positions.
2
What is heard when the air column in a resonance tube reaches a resonant length?
Model answer
The sound from the tuning fork becomes noticeably louder, because the air column is being driven at one of its own natural frequencies and a standing wave of large amplitude builds up in it.
3
Where are the node and antinode when a resonance tube is at its first resonance?
Model answer
There is a node at the water surface, which acts as the closed end, and an antinode at the open top of the tube.
4
How is the first resonance length of the air column related to the wavelength?
Model answer
The first resonance occurs when the air column is approximately a quarter of a wavelength long.
5
How is the second resonance length of the air column related to the wavelength?
Model answer
The second resonance occurs when the air column is approximately three quarters of a wavelength long.
6
Why are two resonance lengths measured rather than just the first?
Model answer
The difference between them is exactly half a wavelength, and taking the difference cancels out the fact that the antinode lies slightly outside the open end, which would otherwise make every measured length too short.

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