Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Guitar Fundamentals: Wavelength, Frequency, & Speed
This is a rockin' project for guitarists with an interest in the physics behind music. If you have ever wondered why the pitch of the note changes when you fret the string, this project will help you understand by applying basic...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: String Telephone
Discover how sound vibrations travel across a string by making a telephone from paper cups, string and paper clips.
University of Maryland
Thinking Problems in Oscillations and Waves
A series of thought-provoking, multichoice questions from the University of Maryland on the topic of oscillations and waves. Equations for calculating the period of motion for masses on springs, pendulums, sounds, and waves on a string...
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: Radiohead
Try this experiment to see how sound transmits as vibrations through solid matter. You will use a toothbrush to listen to the radio.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Sound Review
[Free Registration/Login Required] How does sound travel and what parts of the ear detect sound best? Using multiple websites, students discover animals that make the loudest sounds, which tapped glass will create the highest pitch, what...
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.
University of Kentucky
The Physics and Math of Music
Read about a math research project done by three college students which helps us see physics and math in music. Here's a great approach for integrating curriculum!
Other
Architectural Acoustics and Lighting: Room Acoustics
This site from Architectural Acoustics and Lighting provides a discussion of various factors affecting the acoustics of a given room. Room dimensions, the wavelength of the sound wave, the physical characteristics of the walls, the...
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Ultrasound
Wikipedia offers information on the basics of ultrasound, "Sound or vibrations with frequencies too high to be audible by the human ear."
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How to Squeeze Electricity Out of Crystals
It might sound like science fiction, but if you press on a crystal of sugar, it will actually generate its own electricity. Ashwini Bharathula explains how piezoelectric materials turn mechanical stress, like pressure, sound waves and...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: The Ear Guitar
This simple activity helps students understand the role of vibration in producing sound.
Treehut
Suzy's World: Ears
Find out how your ears work and try an experiment involving your hearing.
Curated OER
Kids Health: Taking Care of Your Ears
An informative site that deals with the parts of the ear and their functions. Text is complemented with pictures.
Physics Aviary
Physics Aviary: Distance to Destruction Lab
This lab is designed to help students visualize distance between two synchronized sources that will lead to constructive and destructive interference.
Other
The Basics of Reading Music
This site is an overview of how to read music. The basics of notation such as note and rest values, the names of lines and spaces of both treble and bass clefs, etc. are covered. Includes downloadable audio files.