Ripple Tank demo
Ripple Tank demo
Ripple Tank demo
Ripple Tank demo

 

Code Number: 3B50.20

Demo Title: Ripple Tank

Condition: Good

Principle: Wave Phenomenon

Area of Study: Oscillations & Acoustics

Equipment: 

PASCO and Older Round Ripple Tanks with Accessories, Power Supply (0 to 6 VDC), Food Coloring (if desired), Water, and 4 Video Tapes (Ripple Tank Demonstrations).

Procedure:

The PASCO ripple tank unit is easy to use and displays well in class.  Note that there are included accessories for measurement, barriers, and wave source attachements.  About 1 liter of water seems to work well.

We never use the large round ripple tank in class because the videos are not only more visible but also faster and more accurately done.  This ripple tank is good for small groups if you add the strobe from the Pasco unit.  

References:

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  • Fabrizio Logiurato, "New Experiments on Wave Physics with a Simply Modified Ripple Tank", TPT, Vol. 52, #4, Apr. 2014, p. 228.
  • Dave Van Domelen, "Wavetank in a Glass", TPT, Vol. 50, #1, Jan. 2012, p. 56.
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  • Judson Wagner, "Creating a Virtual Ripple Tank in Microsoft Word", TPT, Vol. 44, #6, Sept. 2006, p. 376.
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Ripple Tank: Single and Double Slit Diffraction and Interference
Ripple Tank: Interference of Two Points Sources (P1)