AngelaWilson

AsherLadin
WaveProjectReport

SoundWaves

Thisexperimentconsistsofexposingdifferentglassthicknessestodifferentsound
frequenciesandobservingtheglasssreaction.

Introduction:
Thenaturalfrequency(
thefrequencyatwhichasystemoscillateswhennotsubjectedtoa
continuousorrepeatedexternalforce)
orresonance(
theconditioninwhichanobjectorsystem
issubjectedtoanoscillatingforce
GracePansze
havingafrequencyclosetoitsownnaturalfrequency)ofglassvariesfromeach
thickness.Whenexposedtofrequenciesgreaterthanglasssnaturalfrequency,theglasswill
physicallyreacttothesoundvibrations.Theexpectedreactionfromtheglasswastoshatter,
crack,andvibrateatfrequencieshigherthanthenaturalfrequency.

QuestionandHypothesis:
Theguidingquestionforthisexperimentwas
dodifferentthicknessesofglassesreact
differentlywhenexposedtoaconstantsoundwavefrequency?

Ifsoundwaveseffectglassthen
wethinkthatthethinnerglasswillbreakwhenexposedtofrequencybecausethenatural
frequencyislessthanthefrequencyitisexposedto.Withtheideaofresonancewethinkthat
withenoughsoundfrequencies,theglassstructurewithinwhichthesoundcanbecomefocused
andasthevolumeisincreasedthevibrationoftheglasswillfocusandbecomegreaterand
greateruntiltheybreak.

Methodsandmaterials:

Thematerialsusedinthisprocedurewere:
glass(11wineglassesofdifferentthicknesses)
speakers
caliper
soundcancellingheadphones/earplugs
computer,AUX
measuringtape
earplugs

*youcanwearsafetygogglesaswellasasafetyprecaution.

Procedure:
Step1.Measureglasssdimensionswithcalipertodetermineorderofglassesbasedonthickness
Step2.Measureglasssnaturalfrequency.
Step3.Setupspeaker,computer,putinearplugs.
Step4.Usemeasuringtapetorecord3centimetersfromspeakerandplaceglassatmark.
Step5.Nextwetappedtheglasslightlytogetitvibratingsoinsteadofreflectingsound
vibrations,theglasswouldaccepttheemittedfrequency(resonance).
Step6.Playconsistentfrequency(naturalfrequency)andobserveglassreaction.
Step7.Playhigherfrequencyandobservereaction.
Step8.Recorddataandrepeatwithdifferentglasses.*ourrecordsareinthetablebelow

Glass Glass
Numb Thickn
er
essin
mm
(edge)

Glass
Openi
ng
inmm

Heig
ht
of
Bow
lin
mm

Constant Breaki
Frequency ng
+Reaction Point

Natural
LowestFrequency
Frequency +
reaction

1.55

72.10

69.9
8

N/A

1.25k&
2.25k

2.71

51.47

86.9
5

N/A

2k

1.75

74.15

100.
17

N/A

2k&2.75k

.79

63.89

104.
24

N/A

500
&1.25k

.97

61.65

108.
1

N/A

1k&1.75
&2.5k&
2.1k

1.41

83.61

127.
13

N/A

500

1.89

73.96

117.
28

N/A

2.5k&
600&
1.5k

.7

61.65

135.
30

N/A

400

1.38

75.31

118.
15

N/A

600

&1.25k&
2.25k

10

1.98

69.94

104.
68

N/A

1.25k

11

72.80

137.
37

N/A

1.25k&
400

Thistableshowsthreedifferentmeasurementsofeachoftheelevenglasses.Also,thenatural
frequency(frequencies)thattheglasseshave.

0.7

61.65

135.3

400

11

72.8

137.37

400

1250

0.79

63.89

104.24

500

1250

1.41

83.61

127.13

500

1.89

73.96

117.28

600

1500

2500

1.38

75.31

118.15

600

1250

2250

0.97

61.65

108.1

1000

1750

2100

2500

1.55

72.1

69.98

1250

2250

10

1.98

69.94

104.68

1250

2.71

51.47

86.95

2000

1.75

74.15

100.17

2000

2750

Thistablerepresentsthenaturalfrequencies,puttingtheglassesintoorderbythicknesswhich
alsoisthesameorderasnaturalfrequencies.

Results:
Aftertryingoutmanydifferentfrequenciesfordifferentglasses,wedidnotsucceedin
breakingorcrackinganyglass.Thismaynothaveworkedbecausethenaturalfrequencyofthe
glassandthefrequencyweexposedtheglasstomaynothavematched.Also,thespeakerswe
hadavailablemaynothavebeenloudenoughortheglasswastoothick.However,itispossible
tobreakglasswithfrequencies.

Discussion:
Whenweposedourquestion(dodifferentthicknessesofglassesreactdifferentlywhen
exposedtoaconstantsoundwavefrequency?)wethoughtthatassoonastheglasswasexposed
toafrequencygreaterorequaltoitsnaturalfrequency,itwouldshatter.Wedidntevengeta
vibration.Eventhoughourexperimentwasinconclusive,wefoundmanywayofcrystalandget
alouderamptoprojectthesoundmoreconsistently.Overall,thekeytakeawayswereswecould
improvetheprocedure.Torefinethetest,wecouldgetthinnerglassesmadeusingthescientific
method,takingmeasurements,andtestingatheory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLBt_07Vek