Pulse versus Wave on a String PhET

On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to High. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. What is the pulse width of the wave?

• 0.50 s

• 1.00 s

• 0.75 s

• 0.25 s

On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to High. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. What do you notice when a pulse reaches a fixed (right) end in the simulation?

• The pulse passes through the right boundary.

• The pulse stops moving.

• The pulse reflects and inverts.

• The pulse changes color.

On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to High. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. What is the amplitude of the wave?

• 0.50 cm

• 0.75 cm

• 1.00 cm

• 1.25 cm

On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to High. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. Which of the following describes the motion of the particles (red and green circular beads) in the medium (string) when a wave travels through the medium?

• The particles are permanently displaced.

• The particles sink.

• The particles move with the wave to the right.

• The particles oscillate (swing back and forth) around fixed positions.

Click Restart on the upper left corner of the simulation. Select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Loose End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to High. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. What happens to the pulse when the pulse reaches the loose end on the right?

• The pulse reflects back in the same direction with an inverted shape.

• The pulse continues moving to the right without any change.

• The pulse reflects back in the same direction without any change in shape.

• The pulse dissolves and disappears completely.

On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Pulse. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to Low. Now, create a pulse by clicking on the green button of the vertical rod on the left. How does low tension affect the speed of the pulse?

• The speed of the pulse increases with lower tension.

• The speed of the pulse decreases with lower tension.

• The speed of the pulse remains unchanged regardless of tension.

• The speed of the pulse is only affected by the mass of the string.

Click Restart on the upper left corner. On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Oscillate. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to Low. Now, create an oscillation by clicking on the Play button situated below the simulation. Change the Tension to High. What effect does high tension have on the speed of the wave traveling along on the string?

• The speed decreases

• The speed remains unchanged

• The speed increases

• The speed becomes zero

Click Restart. On the upper left corner of the simulation page, select Oscillate. On the upper right corner, choose Fixed End. At the bottom of the simulation, move the slider of Damping to None; move the slider of Tension to Low. If the frequency of the oscillation is increased to 3.00 Hertz (Hz), what is the expected outcome?

• The length of the wave increases.

• The amplitude of the oscillation decreases.

• The wave reflects back with an inverted shape and increases in amplitude.

• The speed of the wave remains unchanged, but the length of wave decreases.

How did changing the frequency, tension, and amplitude of the oscillation in the simulation affect the behavior of the waves? Reflect on your observations and discuss how these factors interplay to determine wave characteristics in real-world scenarios.