Ripple Tank

The apparatus consists of a wooden framed tray with a plate glass base and detachable legs, overall size of tray 600x 520x 56mm deep.

A pair of support rods with integral ‘G’ clamps is provided which can be attached to the sides of the tank and used to carry the wave generating system. A set of 4 metal barriers (reflectors) is included consisting of a pair of straight barriers 150 x 25mm, a curved barrier of 215 mm. chord length x 25mm high and a short, straight barrier 25 x 25mm, to minimize unwanted reflections from the sides of the tank a set of four loose gauze strips are provided which, when is use, are arranged around the edges to from a ‘beach’ on all sides.

The ripples are produced by a small 1.5 to 4.5V D.C. electric motor mounted at the centre of a 330 mm. waxed wooden wave generator bar with a row of holes to mount the spherical dipper supplied. It is recommended that the power supply unit is used as this has been specially designed for use with the ripple tank. It has continuously variable D.C. output so that the speed of the motor and hence the frequency of the ripples may be varied. One of the hardboard packing pieces is painted white on one side and may be placed on the floor underneath the tank as a screen to receive the wave pattern shadows.