Alternative setup for estimating reliable frequency values in a ripple tank

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce an innovative, low-cost and easy experimental setup to be used in a traditional ripple tank when a frequency generator is unavailable. This configuration was carried out by undergraduate students. The current project allowed them to experiment and to study the relationship between the wavelength and the oscillation period of a mechanical wave, among other things. Under this setup, students could evaluate the mechanism not only qualitative but also in a quantitative fashion with a high degree of confidence. The results obtained for the propagation speed of the mechanical waves in different media with this alternative design coincided with those acquired using a commercial device designed for this purpose.