UIUC Physics
Lecture Demonstration
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Demo # 48
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Ripple Tank on overhead
Description:
A shallow container of water placed on the overhead is the ripple tank. A mechanical vibrator is used to generate the waves with attachments that include a point source, a pair of point sources, and a plane wave attachment. With the plane wave, barriers are placed in the water to demonstrate diffraction and interference. A newer setup has its own light source which can be strobed to 'stop the wave pattern'.
Physics Concept:
- Waves
- Wave Motion
- Interference and Diffraction
The demonstration takes about 3 minutes to perform.