Waves on a string – travelling waves, reflection and standing waves

PhysicsOscillations & WavesAges 16–17

A string made of 81 beads, with the wave equation solved by finite differences. Choose how to drive the left end (move it by hand, oscillate it sinusoidally or send a single pulse), choose the right end (fixed, loose, or no end to model an infinitely long string), and adjust the tension and damping to watch waves travel, reflect inverted or upright, and form standing waves. Includes slow motion, frame-by-frame stepping, rulers and a timer. Adapted from the "Wave on a String" simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder (CC BY 4.0); rewritten.

Lesson: Mechanical waves; reflection of waves; standing waves