Tuning fork experiments at the undergraduate level usually only demonstrate a tuning fork's linear resonance. In this paper, we introduce an experiment that can be used to measure the nonlinear tuning curve of a regular tuning fork. Using double-grating Doppler interferometry, we achieve measurement accuracy within ten microns. With this experiment setup, we observe typical nonlinear behaviors of the tuning fork such as the softening tuning curve and jump phenomena. Our experiment is inexpensive and easy to operate. It provides an integrated experiment for intermediate-level students and a basis for senior research projects.
@article{arxiv.2006.00990,
title = {On the nonlinearity of a tuning fork},
author = {Lintao Xiao and Chenyu Bao and Qiuhan Jia and Haoyang Wu and Huijun Zhou and Sihui Wang},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.00990},
year = {2024}
}