1 of 6

Slide Notes

DownloadGo Live

Inquiry question: How do sound waves break glass?

Published on Nov 18, 2015

No Description

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Inquiry question:

how do sound waves break glass?
Photo by whisperwolf

First off:

  • Sound is not mass, it is an energy.
  • The reason has to do with resonance.
  • If the frequency is high enough, it can shatter glass.
  • The glass vibrates at the same freq. on the outer surface of the glass. 
  • If however it is a lower frequency, the inside of the glass vibrates.
Photo by Herr Olsen

What does this mean?

  • The frequencies cause interference in the waveforms going through the glass
  • Therefore stressing the glass causing it to shatter.
Photo by whisperwolf

How do you make this happen?

  • for the glass to break, it depends on the resonance frequency.
  • to figure that out, you must determine mainly the glass' quality itself,
  • the thickness of the glass, the shape and the temperature.
  • once you have figured out the resonance frequency of the glass, play the
  • sound with the resonance frequency and the glass will shatter.
Photo by Vitamin-K

why does this happen?

  • every glass has a certain resonance frequency, and if you match the sound
  • with the same frequency, you will shatter the glass.
  • if you tap a wine glass near your ear, you will hear it sing the frequency.
  • if you can stimulate a sound with that frequency, you will be able to 
  • shatter the glass.
Photo by yourfaceisjon