I'll pose that as a general question, and specifically for sound waves, which Googling did not answer in a satisfactory way.
And a specific instance I'm concerned with is as follows:
- Students are using telephone cords to make waves (cheaper and much more durable than Slinkies!).
- Most groups hold the cord stretched through the air.
- But one group put the cord on the floor, and snapped it sideways to generate a wave.
Especially at higher amplitudes (more sideways) the cord rubs a lot on the floor. We are debating, to no conclusion: does that friction affects the measured speed of the pulse?
And a specific instance I'm concerned with is as follows:
- Students are using telephone cords to make waves (cheaper and much more durable than Slinkies!).
- Most groups hold the cord stretched through the air.
- But one group put the cord on the floor, and snapped it sideways to generate a wave.
Especially at higher amplitudes (more sideways) the cord rubs a lot on the floor. We are debating, to no conclusion: does that friction affects the measured speed of the pulse?