Amplitude

This interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab shows how a pendulum's amplitude changes as you set it swinging from different distances from its axis, and how the amplitude of a sound wave changes as you adjust the volume.

Booming Sands

This video segment, adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, presents basic concepts of physics behind "booming" sand dunes. See how surface tension affects potential and kinetic energy and how it all works together to create sound.

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Design Squad: Sound

In this video segment adapted from Design Squad—a PBS TV series featuring high school contestants tackling engineering challenges—learn about the fundamentals of sound as student teams create percussive and stringed instruments for a local band.

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Experimenting with a Glass Xylophone

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast investigates how the pitch of sound changes when they strike a variety of glasses filled with different amounts and types of liquids.

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Frequency

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab, investigate frequency in terms of trampoline jumps, pendulum swings, and electromagnetic waves.

Glass Breaking with Sound

In this video adapted from the Encyclopedia of Physics Demonstrations, learn how a glass beaker vibrates at a specific frequency and how resonance can force it to shatter.

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Hana's Japanese Drums

In this ZOOM video segment, join Hana as she learns traditional Japanese drumming with her Taiko group.

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Inverse Square Law

This animation from KET's distance learning physics course demonstrates the mathematical formula for a scientific law as it applies to light.

Kid Musician: Mexico's Guitar Town

Visit with Andres during fiesta time at Paracho Michoacan, Mexico's "guitar town". As Andres shows in this video segment from ZOOM, guitar music goes beyond simple sound vibrations.

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Pitch: Making Guitars

Watch the rubber bands vibrate on homemade guitars in this video segment adapted from ZOOM as cast members talk about pitch and demonstrate how to make a cereal box instrument.

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Pitch: Straw Kazoo

This video segment, adapted from ZOOM, explores the different sounds that a simple drinking straw can produce when you cut the straw and blow into it.

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Pitch: Super Sounding Drums

This video segment, adapted from ZOOM, explores sounds made by homemade drums of different sizes, shapes, and materials.

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Pitch: Water Trombone

This video segment, adapted from ZOOM, demonstrates how to use a drinking straw and a bottle full of water to make low- and high-pitched sounds.

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Smart Bridges

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, learn about engineering innovations that could help detect a bridge's structural weaknesses before they become dangerous.

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Sound

This interactive simulation, adapted from the University of Colorado's Physics Education Technology project, illustrates sound waves. Adjust the frequency and amplitude to see and hear how the waves change.

Sound and Solids: Listening Stick

This video segment, adapted from ZOOM, explores how sound waves travel differently through air than through solids like a yardstick, a baseball bat, and a golf club.

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Sound and Solids: Stereo Hangers

This video segment, adapted from ZOOM, explores how sound waves travel differently through solids than through air, in this case, a metal clothes hanger.

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Sound and Solids: Visualizing Vibrations

In this video segment, adapted from ZOOM, a tuning fork's vibrations are made visible as ripples in a bowl of water.

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Sound Waves Underwater: The Loch Ness Monster

This video segment, adapted from NOVA follows a team of enthusiasts and scientists who attempt to find a trace of the Loch Ness monster by scouring the lake with sonar.

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Vibration Patterns on a Chladni Plate

In this interactive activity adapted from the University of Southern California, investigate how sound vibrations cause patterns to form in sand on a metal plate.

What Is a Wave?

This interactive activity adapted from Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University, and the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab provides an overview of the characteristics and properties of various types of waves, including light waves, sound waves, and water waves.