The Sounds of Science

What can science and music possibly have in common? A lot more than you might think. Guide young scientists through an exploration of these two seemly different subjects with a physical science resource based on Bill Nye the Science...

Time to witness the effects of sound. Learners analyze different materials to determine their abilities to absorb sound waves. They use free software to monitor the amplitude of the waves to verify results.

You've seen talented singers break glass with a single high note ... is it as easy as it looks? Discover the physics behind the phenomenon with a video from the Physics Girl playlist. The resource covers sound wave terminology, tensile...

If a tree falls in the forest and no person is around, does it still make a sound? Students view a short video segment to determine sound and decibel levels of various objects, including the loudest and quietest possible sounds humans...

Listen in as Mia and Sam expound on sound. It is caused by vibrations and travels in waves. It has the qualities of pitch, frequency, and volume. This hip animation displays a graph to depict the frequency and amplitude of sound waves....

Young scientists investigate the scientific concepts and principles that help make common toys such as hula hoops, yo-yos, slinkies, and silly putty work. As a class, they read "Backyard Rocket Science, Served Wet" to get a look behind...

Make sound waves visible with an experiment that asks middle schoolers to build a model ear drum using plastic bottles, rubber bands, plastic wrap, and sand-like substances.

Make music. Class members construct a simple record player using a paper cone and a pin. The resource provides a description of what is happening and why listeners can hear the sounds through the cone. 

Students see that understanding how sound is produced makes it possible for us to manipulate it so we can decrease the number of unpleasant sounds we encounter. They make a drum to explore the concepts of force, pitch and volume.

As a complex project, it's ideal for your older learners. Discuss electric currents and solar energy before building the motor to preload information. While sound is not included here, the steps are described through text and visual...