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-   -   Turning fork (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=156123)

  • Nov 26, 2007, 09:12 AM
    kesavan
    Turning fork
    Why turning fork have two legs?
  • Nov 26, 2007, 09:34 AM
    kesavan
    Why that shape like "Y" ?
  • Nov 28, 2007, 10:18 AM
    kesavan
    Please anyone clear my doubts
    Why should the tuning fork have two prongs?
  • Nov 28, 2007, 12:49 PM
    asterisk_man
    Good question. Clearly a single metal bar will produce a tone when struck and the frequency of a tuning fork is a function of the single tine length. I have two theories about why two tines are used:
    1: The tines resonate together in such a way as to prolong the duration of the sound.
    2: A single tine will create a sound of amplitude A and so n tines will create a sound of amplitude nA. Maybe two tines makes a reasonably loud enough sound without being too large for easy manipulation.

    I hope someone else comes and puts their own two cents in because I'm not very certain about my answers!
  • Nov 28, 2007, 07:00 PM
    tjsail
    If you just used a straight rod, and held it in your hand, your hand would damp out the vibrations. A tuning fork has a handle you can hold without disrupting the vibrations. I think there may be other reasons too. Something to do with vibration modes perhaps.
  • Nov 30, 2007, 10:03 AM
    kesavan
    Hi asterisk_man,
    single tine will create a sound of amplitude A and so n tines will create a sound of amplitude nA. Maybe two tines makes a reasonably loud enough sound without being too large for easy manipulation
    I thing your this idea is wrong, because we hit one side of turning fork’s prong, so that energy is distributed 2 prong.
  • Nov 30, 2007, 10:15 AM
    red_cartoon
    When we hit the tuning fork we make on of the legs vibrate, as Kesavan said. Then, I think, the air trapped between the two legs of the fork is contracted and expanded rapidly. This helps to apply a force on the other leg as well and within some moments two legs resonate at the same frequency creating a good sound.
  • Nov 30, 2007, 11:03 AM
    asterisk_man
    kesavan, you're certainly right that the energy will be distributed across 2 prongs. I think I had some additional complication in mind when I wrote that but I can't remember it now.

    Another idea I had was that somehow the fork isolates the vibration from the handle but this is clearly not true because there is often mention of holding a tuning fork against a box of some kind to allow it to become even louder.

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