sources of uncertainty in a standing wave experiment

but also something that students have difficulty with. NGSS Lead States, Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States ( The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2013), p. This activity is similar to what is described in the NGSS (Appendix F, p. The goal for this lab is for students to decide which of these models best fits their data and to refine their experiment successively. Instead, taking the correction into account or not gives rise to two mathematical models that describe what fraction of a wavelength fits into the tube. This lab does not aim to measure the end correction or its dependency on the radius. Giancoli, Physics - Principles with Applications (AP Edition), 7th ed. ( Thomson Learning, Stamford, CT, 2004), p. Jewett, Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 6th ed. but neglect the effect for practical purposes, and some more scientifically oriented textbooks quantify the effect in a footnote. Knight, Physics for Scientists and Engineers - A Strategic Approach (AP Edition), 4th ed. ( Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2009), p. Giancoli, Physics for Scientists & Engineers with Modern Physics, 4th ed. ( Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ, 2015), p. others make a qualitative remark 11–13 11. ( Cenage Learning, Stamford, CT, 2006), p. ( Pearson, Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2015), p. Field, College Physics - A Strategic Approach ( AP Edition), 3rd ed. Nevertheless, some college-level textbooks do not remark on this effect 9,10 9. Müller, “ Measurement of sound velocity made easy using harmonic resonant frequencies with everyday mobile technology,” Phys. Ruiz, “ Boomwhackers and end-pipe corrections,” Phys. LoPresto, “ Measuring end correction for a quarter-wave tube,” Phys. An end correction has to be taken into account for accurate acoustic measurements. However careful consideration shows that the antinode of the standing wave lies somewhat outside the tube itself (Fig. The wavelength of the fundamental frequency is often modeled as if exactly one-quarter wavelength fits inside the tube. Bonn, “ Teaching critical thinking,” Proc. determines the quality of the data, and will play a central role in the final decision between these models and is a vital skill in the modern world. Hellwig, “ Learning about measurement uncertainties in secondary education: A model of the subject matter,” Int. The quantification of measurement uncertainties-another topic that is often neglected in high school curricula 3 3. We present a lab in which students strive to find out which of two models best describes a physics experiment. Malhotra, “ Epistemologically authentic inquiry in schools: A theoretical framework for evaluating inquiry tasks,” Sci. Cartier, “ Model-based inquiry and school science: Creating connections,” School Sci. Science labs should promote reasoning that resembles the work that scientists do.

Sources of uncertainty in a standing wave experiment