Stay Tuned: Sound Waveform Models
Recommended for grades 9–12.
Introduction
If you throw a rock into a calm pond, the water around the point of entry begins to move up and down, causing ripples to travel outward. If these ripples come across a small floating object such as a leaf, they will cause the leaf to move up and down on the water. Much like waves in water, sound in air is produced by the vibration of an object. These vibrations produce pressure oscillations in the surrounding air which travel outward like the ripples on the pond. When the pressure waves reach the eardrum, they cause it to vibrate. These vibrations are then translated into nerve impulses and interpreted by your brain as sounds.
These pressure waves are what we usually call sound waves. Most waves are very complex, but the sound from a tuning fork is a single tone that can be described mathematically using a cosine function:
In this activity you will analyze the tone from a tuning fork by collecting data with a microphone.
Objectives
- Record the sound waveform of a tuning fork.
- Analyze the waveform to determine frequency, period and amplitude information.
- Model the waveform using trigonometric functions.
Sensors and Equipment
This activity requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
See all standards correlations for Real-World Math with Vernier »
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.