Question

In fig. shows two tuning forks P and Q of the same frequency mounted on separate sound boxes with their open ends facing each other. The fork A is set into vibration. (i) Describe your observation. (ii) State the principle illustrated by this experiment.

Answer 1

(i) If the tuning fork A is set into vibration, the other fork B also starts vibrating and a loud sound is heard.
The vibrating tuning fork A produces the forced vibrations in the air column of its sound box. These vibrations are of large amplitude because of large surface area of the air in the sound box and they are communicated to the sound box of the fork B. The air column of B starts vibrating with the frequency of fork A. Since the frequency of these vibrations is same as the natural frequency of the fork B, the fork B starts vibrating due to resonance.
(ii) The principle of 'resonance' is illustrated by this experiment.
Statement: When the frequency of the forced vibration is equal to the natural frequency of a body nearby or an integer multiple of it then the body vibrates with a large amplitude. This phenomenon is called resonance.