Traveling at the Speed of Sound

In this sound instructional activity, students understand how sound is created and how the human ear "hears." Students compare the frequency, amplitude, and speed of sound. Then students complete 10 matching, 7 fill in the blank, and 11...

A well-designed, comprehensive, and attractive slide show supports direct instruction on how sonar and echolocation work. Contained within the slides are links to interactive websites and instructions for using apps on a mobile device to...

If the delay between a sound and its echo is less than 1/10th of a second, the human ear can’t distinguish it. Through the use of a Slinky, rubber band guitar, and straws, scholars explore where sound comes from and how it travels. Whole...

This physics resource provides questions as well as information about sound, including frequency, oscillation, the Doppler shift, and more. There are 5 short answer questions that are mostly based on frequency. After the questions, there...

Beautiful music doesn't just write itself, but if you ever feel bad about procrastinating, remember that Mozart wrote the overture to Don Giovanni the morning it premiered. Introduce young scientists to the elements of sound including...

What do physicists and musicians have in common? A lot more than you might think. After first viewing a slide show presentation and completing a series of skills practice worksheets on the physics of light, sound, and electricity, young...

How to oceanographers measure the sea's depth? Your scientists will step into their shoes in this application instructional activity, first reading about how the speed of sound and a simple formula give scientists a depth estimation....

Sound waves travel pretty quickly, but humans can travel faster. Follow along with this short animated video as it investigates the physics behind the breaking of the sound barrier and the sonic booms that are created as a result.

Students discuss physical places in which had good or bad acoustics. After reading an article, they discover the relationship between the physics of sound and concert hall acoustics. They calculate the speed of sound and compare their...

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.