Into
The goal of this project was to build a set of instruments. One string, one air, and one percussion and they all had to play the notes A-G. We did this by utilizing what we know about sound waves. Which was that sound is basically just differences in the pressure of the surrounding air, in our case, but as we know sound can also travel through water as well as solids. The different pressures cause vibrations in the medium, then causing our eardrums to vibrate, thus creating sound.
The goal of this project was to build a set of instruments. One string, one air, and one percussion and they all had to play the notes A-G. We did this by utilizing what we know about sound waves. Which was that sound is basically just differences in the pressure of the surrounding air, in our case, but as we know sound can also travel through water as well as solids. The different pressures cause vibrations in the medium, then causing our eardrums to vibrate, thus creating sound.
Our FluteThis works by splitting the air blown into mouth piece (or the hole drilled at the end of the PVC pipe). The air then creates a sound that makes it's way through the pipe with a wavelength of 4x the distance the the nearest hole in the tube. We have 6 holes drilled into our pipe, which creates 6 different notes.
Our Chimes
Our bottles work upon the natural frequencies of the water and glass. Natural frequency is the natural vibration of an elastic object. Which means the chimes aren't working off wavelengths and so we could not use math to find the notes. Instead we used trial and error to find the right notes, adding and taking out water as needed to reach the desired note.
Our bottles work upon the natural frequencies of the water and glass. Natural frequency is the natural vibration of an elastic object. Which means the chimes aren't working off wavelengths and so we could not use math to find the notes. Instead we used trial and error to find the right notes, adding and taking out water as needed to reach the desired note.
Our Guitar
The guitar did not end up being able to all the notes because the strings were very finicky and it was a lot harder to tighten them then we first had thought. The reason the strings needed to be tight is because guitars work by tension of the strings. The tighter the string the faster the vibrations and the frequency thus a higher note. Same goes from the slower it vibrates the slower the frequency thus a lower note.
The guitar did not end up being able to all the notes because the strings were very finicky and it was a lot harder to tighten them then we first had thought. The reason the strings needed to be tight is because guitars work by tension of the strings. The tighter the string the faster the vibrations and the frequency thus a higher note. Same goes from the slower it vibrates the slower the frequency thus a lower note.
Key Concepts
Amplitude - distance from midpoint to crest or trough of a wavelength
Crest - highest point in a sound wave
Trough - lowest point in a sound wave
Wavelength - distance from crest to crest or trough to trough
Frequency - how often vibration occurs
Period - amount of time between waves
Interference - when two waves combine
Transverse Wave - a wave that moves up and down as it goes along
Longitudinal Wave - a wave that compresses as it goes along
Reflection
This project taught me heaps about sound and waves and frequency. It also taught me that making instruments it really not as easy as it lends itself out to be. We defiantly had a lot of difficulties along the way, especially with our guitar. Tightening the strings was very hard and once we had the right amount of tension the actual frame would give way and then the strings would loosen again, and if the frame caving in didn't loosen the strings then it would loosen by itself and within an hour we would have to readjust all over again. We also had a lot of peaks though, such as all the information I learned as well as our flute that played surprisingly like a normal flute.