When one of the prong of a tuning fork is waxed a little then frequency of the fork will

Options

A. decrease
B. increase
C. remains unchanged
D. may increase or decrease

Answer

To solve the question regarding the effect of waxing one prong of a tuning fork on its frequency, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Tuning Fork**: A tuning fork consists of two prongs that vibrate to produce sound. The frequency of the sound produced is determined by the physical properties of the fork, including its mass and stiffness.

2. **Effect of Waxing**: When one of the prongs of the tuning fork is waxed, a layer of wax is added to it. This increases the mass of that prong.

3. **Frequency and Mass Relationship**: The frequency (f) of a vibrating object is related to its mass (m) and stiffness (k) by the formula:
\[ f \propto \frac{1}{\sqrt{m}} \]
This means that frequency is inversely proportional to the square root of the mass. As the mass increases, the frequency decreases.

4. **Conclusion**: Since waxing one prong increases its mass, the frequency of the tuning fork will decrease. This is because the added mass makes it harder for the prong to oscillate, thus lowering the frequency of the sound produced.

5. **Final Answer**: Therefore, when one of the prongs of a tuning fork is waxed, the frequency of the fork will **decrease**.