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The Sound Waves MatchCard explores pitch, intensity, amplitude and frequency as students experiment with sound waves.

The Sound Waves MatchCard explores pitch, intensity, amplitude and frequency as students experiment with sound waves..

science-matchcard

Experiment with Sound Waves

Objective: Compare the frequency and amplitude of sound waves.

Sound waves behave like many other types of waves. Exploring how sound waves function helps student understand hearing and music. Understanding sound waves also helps them to grasp the more abstract concept of light waves and other electromagnetic waves.

Anatomy of a Sound Wave

Show the middle diagram of a sound wave. Compare a sound wave to the waves on a beach. Each wave goes from crest to crest (from one high point to the next high point.)

Experiment with Pitch

Pitch refers to how high or low a sound is. Use the following objects to demonstrate pitch:

Make a high and low pitched sound with your voice. With your hand over your vocal cords, note the difference in the vibrations.
Using a musical instrument, make a high and low pitched note. Stringed instruments are particuarly good for this.
Take a rubber band, or metal wire, and stretch it. The tighter you stretch it, the higher the pitch.
Using two or more glass drinking cups that are the same, fill each with a different amount of water. Put them in order of highest to lowest pitch.

Learn more about Pitch

Pitch is the frequency of sound waves per second. The faster the sound waves move, the higher the pitch.

After explaining this concept, experiment again with the objects above and other sound producing objects. We measure frequency in hertz.

Memory aid: The high pitch notes of that opera singer "hertz" my ears.

Compare the illustrations from the Sound Waves MatchCard for high and low pitch sounds.

Experiment with Intensity

Using the same objects you used to explore pitch, now explore the characteristics of intensity.

If you bang the glass harder, you get a louder sound. If you clap your hands louder, you get a louder sound. You can make a high pitched sound that is loud or soft. You can make a low pitched sound that is loud or soft.

Learn More About Intensity

Intensity is the amplitude of sound. Amplitude is another way of saying the crest of the wave is tall or short.

We measure frequency in decibels.

Compare the illustrations from the Sound Waves MatchCard for high and low intensity sounds.

Name that Wave

With the students' back turned, or positioned in an adjoining room, make different sounds using a variety of objects. The student identifies the sound as high or low pitch, and high or low intensity.

Tuning Fork

This experiment works best with a tuning fork. But if one is not available, a metal kitchen fork may accomplish the same goal.

The tuning fork can demonstrate that sound travels through different media. Usually we hear it travel through air. Demonstrate this by striking the fork, and placing it close to the opening of the ear to hear the sound of the fork's vibrations.

If you strike the fork again, and put it against your forehead, you will hear the sound waves as they are transmitted through bone.

Sound Waves through Solid Objects

Native Americans put their ear on the ground to hear if enemies were approaching. You can use this same principle.

Have the student put his or her ear on a desk or table top. Very, very lightly, tap the surface of the table. When they pick their head up, tap it with the same force and let them compare the difference. Students can compare the ability of different objects to transmit sound: walls, mirrors, windows, carpet, concrete.

Wave Patterns

This may help students visualize sound waves slightly differently. Using a thick rubber band, stretch clear kitchen wrap across a coffee can or metal mixing bowl. Evenly sprinkle sugar granules across the top.

Hold a pencil with its eraser down vertically over the can. Let it drop a few inches so the eraser bounces gently on the wrap. Notice the pattern the granules make.

Using the Sound Waves Matchcard

This is the fourth Matchcard of the Light and Energy Unit Study. You can download the Sound Waves Matchcard here.

The student matches the characteristics of pitch and intensity with the illustrations of different sound waves, while comparing the frequency and amplitude of the waves.

The second page is the Instructor's Guide with the correct answers.

The third page has the Information Pieces. Student's cut them apart and place them in the correct place on their copy of the Matchcard (first page.)

For more information on how to use the Matchcards, see the MatchCard Science Instructor's Guide.

MatchCard Science

The activities and illustration above for the Sound Waves MatchCard are from MatchCard Science, a homeschool science unit study. For the complete Light and Energy Unit Study follow this link. This unit study provides:

hands-on demonstrations
MatchCard reviews to master the material
suggestions for science projects to complete
instructions on a complete unit study curriculum

Currently this curriculum is under-going revision. We are providing free access to the unit study, with the desire that you will provide feedback as you are field testing the materials.

Science Notebook

If you are just using this single project, and are not in need of a full unit study, you might want your student to complete a science notebook entry for this project.

Return from the Sound Waves Matchcard to the MatchCard Science Main Page.