Re: A wave or not a wave ?

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ludwik Kowalski" <KowalskiL@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>
> Are you aware that in most elementary physics labs students are
> introduced to waves via a vibrating string. On one side a vibrator,
> on the other (about 2 m away) a pulley and the load to control
> tension. Students try to create standing waves with different
> number of loops by changing the load or frequency.
>
> 1) Do you think that this may be a source of misconceptions
>     about waves?
>
> 2) If so then why is this experiment used nearly everywhere?

To the second question:  Because the phenomenon of STANDING WAVES is
critical to the understanding of any number of phenomenon and IMO, the
standard SW experiment needs to be referenced strongly in intro level
Quantum courses.  It is the 'conceptual' clue to understanding the
particle-in-a-box and all that goes with that!

So, while the vibrator/string experiment is not a very good intro to waves
in general, it IS a very important experiment to do nonetheless.

Rick