How a Ripple Tank Works?

A ripple tank is a transparent shallow tray of water with a light shining down through it onto a white card below. The light allows you to see the motion of the ripples created on the water's surface more easily. Ripples can be made by hand but to generate regular ripples it is better to use a motor.

What causes ripples on a water tank?

It is a specialized form of a wave tank. The ripple tank is usually illuminated from above, so that the light shines through the water. ... Ripples may be generated by a piece of wood that is suspended above the tank on elastic bands so that it is just touching the surface.

How do you set up a ripple tank?

Set up the ripple tank as shown in the diagram with about 5 cm depth of water. Adjust the height of the wooden rod (plane wave dipper) so that it just touches the surface of the water. Switch on the lamp and motor and adjust until low frequency waves can be clearly observed. Freeze the wave pattern using a stroboscope.