Waves Intro: String Waves
Shake a string, change frequency, amplitude, tension and damping, and measure the wavelength and speed.
Choose Oscillate and shake the string with the wrench, or press Pulse to send one bump down the rope. Watch what happens at the fixed, loose or open end. Change the amplitude, frequency, damping and tension.
About the Waves Intro: String Waves
Free waves intro: string waves. Shake a string, change frequency, amplitude, tension and damping, and measure the wavelength and speed. Drag, change the sliders and see the result live. No sign-up, works on phone and computer. Built for physics, the waves intro: string waves runs instantly in your browser: change a setting or drag an object and the result updates at once, so you learn by trying things out rather than only reading about them.
Shake a string, change frequency, amplitude, tension and damping, and measure the wavelength and speed. Use it to explore physics ideas at your own pace, then check what you found against the key ideas further down this page.
How to use the Waves Intro: String Waves
- Use the controls to change Wave generator, Amplitude, Frequency, Damping, Tension, and more. The simulation reacts instantly.
- Pick an option such as Oscillate, Pulse, Manual (drag), Fixed end to switch modes or load an example.
- Press "Send a pulse", "Pause" to start, reset or change what is happening.
- Where you see a glowing handle, object, weight or atom, drag it with your mouse or finger. Everything responds in real time.
- Watch the readouts and graphs update as you experiment, and compare what you see with the key ideas below.
Things to try
- Double the frequency and see the wavelength halve.
- Increase the tension.
- Drag the wrist by hand to make your own wave.
Key ideas you can learn
- Wave speed = frequency × wavelength.
- Higher tension makes waves faster.
- Amplitude is the height of the wave.
- Damping makes a wave fade.
Where this is used in the real world
Guitars, ropes, ocean waves, light and sound all follow these same wave ideas.
Who is this simulation for?
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams. It works well for flipped classrooms because students can explore before the lesson.
For teachers: project it on the board, let students predict what will happen, then run it together. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the relationship between speed, frequency and wavelength?
v = fλ.
Does the string move along with the wave?
No. Each point moves up and down while the wave shape travels along.
Is the Waves Intro: String Waves free to use?
Yes. It is completely free, with no signup, no download and no ads inside the simulation. It runs in your web browser.
Does the Waves Intro: String Waves work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. It uses touch as well as the mouse, so you can drag objects with your finger. A larger screen makes the controls easier to see.