Waves on a Helical Spring    

Students investigate properties of mechanical waves using a helical spring: wavelength, speed, reflection, standing waves, interference. 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.

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Required Equipment
Helical Spring, Stopwatch, String

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