MCQ Detailed View

A tuning fork is a simple instrument that produces a fixed pitch when struck. It vibrates at a specific natural frequency, which depends on its length, material, and shape. To measure this frequency accurately, scientists and students use an instrument called a sonometer.

A sonometer consists of a hollow wooden box with a metal or wire string stretched tightly across it. The length of the string can be adjusted by moving a rider or bridge. When the tuning fork is struck and placed in contact with the sonometer, the vibrations from the fork are transferred to the string. If the string’s frequency matches the frequency of the tuning fork, resonance occurs. At resonance, the string vibrates strongly and produces a loud sound.

By adjusting the length of the vibrating string, one can determine the frequency of the tuning fork using the relationship:

f=12LTμf = \frac{1}{2L} \sqrt{\frac{T}{\mu}}f=2L1μT

where f is the frequency, L is the vibrating length of the string, T is the tension in the string, and μ is the mass per unit length of the string.

This method is widely used in physics laboratories to study the principles of sound, resonance, and wave motion. It demonstrates how the vibration of one object (the tuning fork) can set another object (the sonometer string) into vibration if their frequencies are the same.

The sonometer is a classic example in acoustics, showing the direct relationship between frequency, string length, and tension. It also reinforces the concept of resonance, which is essential in many physical systems, from musical instruments to engineering structures.

Thus, the correct answer is Sonometer, as it provides a reliable way to determine the frequency of a tuning fork.