Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Waves, Sound and Light: Longitudinal Pulse
The animation portrays a medium as a series of particles connected by springs. In this type of longitudinal wave the particles of the medium vibrate in a direction parallel to the direction of energy transport.
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: What Is Sound?
Defines sound, how it travels, the components of a sound wave, the different types, and other fun facts.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Sti Lesson 11: The Cigar Box Guitar
Science instruction is most effective when using a hands-on delivery system. This lesson will use your students' natural affinity for music and musical instruments to reinforce and refine their knowledge of the nature of sound -...
Other
Univ. Of Leicester: Amplitude of Vibrations and Loudness
Discusses the ear drum receiving vibrations and how the amplitude of those vibrations translates into the loudness of the sound. Good diagrams to illustrate this concept.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Radio Transmission
This interactive activity from A Science Odyssey tracks the journey of a sound wave from the moment a musician sings into a microphone until his voice reaches the vibrating speakers of an AM Radio.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Sound for Sight
Echolocation is the ability to orient by transmitting sound and receiving echoes from objects in the environment. As a result of a Marco-Polo type activity and subsequent lesson plan, students learn basic concepts of echolocation. They...
McREL International
Mc Rel: Whelmer #10 Learning Activity: Singing Rod
An easy to do activity that investigates the simple observable properties of sound waves. The activity is presented in lesson plan format that meets NSES standards.
Other
Mostly Music: Music Physics
A discussion of a variety of physics topics related to music and sound. Topics include vibrations, sound waves, frequency and pitch, resonance and overtones.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Sound: A Lesson in Length and Pitch
In this classroom guided inquiry lesson, learners will rotate through five stations of various sound instruments to look at how length affects pitch. The five sound stations include: straw flutes, xylophone, water phone, palm pipes, and...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: How to Make a Piano Sing
The renowned pianist Vladimir Horowitz once said, "The most important thing is to transform the piano from a percussive instrument into a singing instrument." In this lab, you will learn about sympathetic vibrations, a method used to...
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Make a Simple Duck Call!
Contains a procedure for using a plastic straw to create a device capable of producing a duck call when air is passed through. The site introduces the concept of vibration in sound production.
Physics Central
Physics Central: Physics in the Tool Shed: Toolaballoonaphone
Learn about compression waves and amplification through constructing a toolaballoonaphone! The toolaballoonaphone is made out an exercise ball, fish nets, wrenches, strings, scissors, and a clean waste basket that allows students to...
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute: Sound Lessons by Fifth Graders
Resource provides five easy-to-follow lessons that you can do with your class to teach the science of sound.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Resonance
This hypertext physics course surveys sound resonance in musical instruments. Illustrated.
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: Ears and Hearing
This lesson plan investigates sound waves and how the ear hears. Students create a model of the ear using a cardboard tube, plastic wrap, and a sheet of paper.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Pitch and Frequency
To further their understanding of sound energy, students identify the different pitches and frequencies created by a vibrating ruler and a straw kazoo. They create high- and low-pitch sound waves.
Science Fun for Everyone
Science Fun: Balloon Speakers
Learn about sound waves with this science experiment. All you need is a balloon!
E-learning for Kids
E Learning for Kids: Science: Seychelles: How Do We Hear?
This lesson teaches students about how sound vibrations are transmitted through solids, liquids, and gases, and about how materials may absorb sound.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Scientific American: Growing Up Different: In Tune
Explore the science of sound and the human ear, and explain how this applies to the operation of cochlear implants for the deaf. Observe how structures can be "tuned" to respond to different frequencies.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Basics of Sound
Kids learn the basics of the science of sound, the speed of sound, and volume. What is sound and how does it move? It is a wave made from the vibration of molecules.
Michigan Reach Out
Michigan Reach Out!: Making a Shoe Box Guitar
This site provides an experiment where students create a guitar to discover what variables will change sound.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Secret Bells
An experiment demonstrating how sound vibrations transmit through metal.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Vocal Visualizer
Create a vocalizer device out of PVC piping and, with the help of a laser pointer, use it to project a visualization of the sound vibrations you make with it.
Creative Science Centre
Creative Science Centre: A Voice on a Sunbeam
Here is described a simple process to 'put a voice on a sunbeam' and transmit it over a distance. It is a fascinating example of amplitude modulation of light using sound vibrations. It then describes how the modulated light is detected...