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Integrated Coordinated Science for the 21st Century

Active Physics
+ Chapter 4
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Answers
For You To Do
  1. Answers will vary.
  2. a) Sideways.
    b) The motion of the Slinky itself is at right angles to the motion of the pulse. Like a bridge built across a river, the Slinky motion is “across” the Slinky itself.
    c) Answers will vary.
  3. The students’ data for the speed of the Slinky waves will depend on the Slinky material (metal or plastic) and on how often they stretch the spring. Sample Data is shown below.

    Sample Data
  4. a) Answers will vary.
    b) The speed is independent of how much the end was stretched.
  5. a) The motion will probably be disorganized.
  6. Now the motion is organized. The spring looks like a sine wave.
  7. a) Many wavelengths are possible.
  8. a) The frequency measured will depend on how the spring is shaken.
  9. a) Wavelength and frequency are inversely proportional. If one doubles the other is cut in half.
    b) The speeds probably agree to within ten or twenty percent.
  10. a) Looking along the string it is alternately stretched and compressed. There is no sideways motion.
    b) Back and forth along the direction the Slinky is stretched.
    c) The wave consists of compressions and extensions of the spring. The wave runs lengthwise along the spring.
  11. Student activity
  12. Student activity
  13. If you stand in water and watch how the water moves as a wave passes by, you would see the same up-and-down motion.
  14. a) As in Step 13, you will see a part of the wave going up and down.