Visualizing Sound Waves Lab
Part 1:
Directions:
1. Visit the following website:
https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Sound-Waves
2. Experiment with the keyboard! Make observations of the sound waves produced when you
play different notes on the keyboard (hint: think frequency, pitch, location of the keys, etc)
Questions:
READ/Review: A compression is the part of the wave (or Slinky)
that is pressed together -- this is like the crest or peak of the wave.
A rarefaction is the part of the wave (or Slinky) that is the most
spread apart -- this is like the trough of the wave. Click on this link for
more info :-)
*Zoom OUT on your iPad so you see LONGITUDINAL WAVES
1. Draw the wave produced by a high-pitched sound and label the
compressions on your drawing:
Tomeression
2. Draw the wave produced by a low- pitch sound. Label the compression on
your drawing.
Impression
3. Compare the waves of a high pitch sound and a low pitch sound and fill out the
chart below:
*HINT: Zoom IN on the waves to see the transverse wave “translation”
Wave Factor High Pitch Low Pitch
Frequency Higher
(higher, lower, same) lower
Wavelength
(longer, shorter, shorter longer
same)
Amplitude
(bigger/smaller/same) smaller bigger
4. Using the table above, what factor of the wave affects pitch? Explain how you
can tell based on your data.
The frequency, because we can see that the higher pitch has a
higher frequency and the lower pitch has a lowe frequency
5. Why do you think people “translate” sound waves from compression waves to
transverse waves?
Because it is easier to see how the waves move
Part 2
READ: Pre-Lab Directions: You will be making sound waves! BE
RESPECTFUL of others with your volume. Your science teacher would
only like to hear Beyoncé or Taylor Swift at a high voice volume,
respectfully.
1. Visit the following website: https://academo.org/demos/virtual-oscilloscope/
Give the website permission to access the microphone of the ipad
2. Try experimenting with making high, low, soft, loud, and other sounds!
Y
Try making the sounds by using an instrument or by whistling.
See how each wave looks when you click on “Freeze live input” button.
Complete the graphs and questions about the waves that you make on the graphs
below!
7. Draw the waves that you make:
a. High-pitch sound
m
a. Low-pitch sound
m
c. Compare and contrast the characteristics of the two waves above (high-pitch
& low-pitch):
Similarities of High & Low Pitch Differences of High & Low Pitch
One of them has an altitude that is higher and is
Are not straight lines, go up and down. Are less symmetrical compared to the other.
not symmetrical and do not look like perfect
waves.
Draw waves for other characteristics:
d. Loud Sound
mum
e. Soft Sound
f. Compare and contrast the characteristics of the two waves (Loud & Soft Sounds).
Similarities of Loud & Soft Sounds Differences of Loud & Soft Sounds
The loud sound is much bigger
Are not completely straight or compared to the soft sound and way
symmetrical. more crazy
8. Produce a sound by talking or by whistling (or singing Taylor Swift). Try to get a
single tone that produces a clear wave shape.
a. Draw the wave that you produce and label the following:
Amplitude
Wavelength
Trough
Crest/Peak
9. Try working with another person to
make more than one noise as a time.
How does this affect the waves?
Draw what you see:
10) Extend your learning! Let’s think about it! Use what know
about sound waves to make a prediction (educated guess)
Question: How do you think noise-canceling headphones work?
Make a prediction: I think noise-canceling
Headphones work because….
Because the sound waves on the outside are not
able to make it into the actual headphones,
(We will be discussing the answer to this concept later in class! Rock On.)
11. Extra time? Explore other sounds using this link:
-https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments
