Station 5: How Do Stringed Instruments Make Sound? Take a length of string and pull it just tight enough to hear a sound when the string is plucked by a teammate. Is this a high- or low-frequency sound? Does this sound have high or low pitch? This is a low-frequency sound, and has low pitch. Pull the string tighter. Does this sound wave have higher or lower frequency than before? Is the pitch higher or lower than before? The frequency and pitch are both higher. If you the string more strongly so that the sound is louder, what happens to the sound wave? The wave amplitude increases. Pluck the string on top of a petri dish with water. Do you see evidence that the sound made by the string is a wave? Patterns are seen in the water that look like ripples. These ripples are caused by sound waves moving through the water. Why do you think stringed instruments have many strings, some tighter and looser? The tighter strings make high-frequency noises while the looser strings make lower frequency noises. When several of these strings are played together, we can play a musical chord! (Like on a guitar.)
Station 5: How Do Stringed Instruments Make Sound? Take a length of string and pull it just tight enough to hear a sound when the string is plucked by a teammate. Is this a high- or low-frequency sound? Does this sound have high or low pitch? This is a low-frequency sound, and has low pitch. Pull the string tighter. Does this sound wave have higher or lower frequency than before? Is the pitch higher or lower than before? The frequency and pitch are both higher. If you the string more strongly so that the sound is louder, what happens to the sound wave? The wave amplitude increases. Pluck the string on top of a petri dish with water. Do you see evidence that the sound made by the string is a wave? Patterns are seen in the water that look like ripples. These ripples are caused by sound waves moving through the water. Why do you think stringed instruments have many strings, some tighter and looser? The tighter strings make high-frequency noises while the looser strings make lower frequency noises. When several of these strings are played together, we can play a musical chord! (Like on a guitar.)
cub_energy2_lesson05_activity4_worksheetas_v2_tedl.docx