The assignment was to create a weighing scale. Some used springs, some used rubber bands, I used guitar strings.
Using the equations above, I built a scale that used tension on a guitar string as an indicator for the mass of a load.
There are 3 variables that determine the pitch a string will emit when plucked;
- Length of the String
- Mass per unit length of the string
- Tension of the string
Using a string of known mass and a fixed section that will be vibrating, the tension under load can be determined by the pitch of the measuring string compared to a reference string of a set tension and mass, but varying length of the vibrating portion using a slide.
The results were surprisingly accurate considering the materials used and short development period.