-Standing Waves in an Aluminum Rod-

If a rod is held in the center, and stroked on one side, there are oscillations of the particles in the rod that are longitudinal. When the vibrations reach one wavelength, the bar will resonate. Resonance amplifies the amplitude, the height, of the wave which is directly related to the volume we hear.

The center is our node point, and the ends are both anti-nodal points. This sound produced is the first normal mode. If the bar is held at L/4, it produces the second normal mode.

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