Acoustics Kit

The acoustics kit allows students to carry out numerous experiments on acoustics independently. A wide variety of sound sources are studied to begin with and the concepts of noise, bangs and tones as well as pitch and loudness are investigated. Waves along a rope are used to illustrate harmonic vibrations and overtones. There is also some extensive study of various different musical instruments. Different high-pitched tones are generated by means of a monochord and the ensuing intervals are calculated experimentally. These studies are expanded to other instruments and can easily lead over to a study of musical notes.
Experiment Topics:

• Noise, bangs, pure tones
• Vibrating air columns
• Whistles and pipes
• Vibrating bars, plates and bells
• Infra-sound
• Ultra-sound
• Tuning fork with plotter pen
• Travelling waves along a rope
• Velocity of propagation of sound
• Moving sources of sound (Doppler effect)
• Plate vibrations (Chladni figures)
• Vibrations of a bell
• Standing waves on a rope, overtones
• Sounds of musical instruments
• Timbre of the human voice
• Measurement of wavelength (Kundt figures)
• Resonance
• Helmholtz ball resonators
• Sound analysis
• Loudness
• Pitch of string instruments
• Pitch of wind instruments
• Reed pipe
• C-major scale and its intervals
• Triads, harmonies
• Semitones, major and minor