Musical Instruments
Our Instruments
In this project, we were given the task to create at least 3 musical instruments and explain how they worked. We had to create 1 wind instrument, 1 chime instrument, and one string instrument. Our group decided to do a guitar, chimes, and a flute.
Content
Transverse Waves: The electromagnetic spectrum (Which consists of visible light, microwaves, x-rays, gamma rays, infrared, and UV) are all transverse waves. Traverse waves vibrate perpendicular to their direction of travel. They also do not require a medium, so they can travel through a vacuum.
Longitudinal Waves: Sound waves are longitudinal waves. They vibrate in the same direction as their direction of travel. Longitudinal waves cannot travel through a medium, because they compress and expand the medium they travel through.
Both of these types of waves have the following properties
Wavelength: Wavelength is the distance from any point on one wave to the same point on the next wave. It can be calculated using the equation: wavelength =v/f
Frequency: Frequency is how many vibrations a wave has in a period of time. Frequency is measured in Hz, which is waves per second. It can be calculated using f=wave speed/wavelength, or f=1/period.
Wave Speed: Wave speed is the speed at which a wave travels.It is calculated by the formula wave speed=D/t, or
wave speed = f/wavelength. Wave speed is measured in m/s.
Period: Period is the amount of time between vibrations in a wave. It is measured in seconds. Period can be calculated using the equation: Period =1/f.
Amplitude: Amplitude is the distance from a wave's equilibrium to it's crest. It is the volume in sound waves. Amplitude is measured in meters and there is no formula because it is just a distance.
Longitudinal Waves: Sound waves are longitudinal waves. They vibrate in the same direction as their direction of travel. Longitudinal waves cannot travel through a medium, because they compress and expand the medium they travel through.
Both of these types of waves have the following properties
Wavelength: Wavelength is the distance from any point on one wave to the same point on the next wave. It can be calculated using the equation: wavelength =v/f
Frequency: Frequency is how many vibrations a wave has in a period of time. Frequency is measured in Hz, which is waves per second. It can be calculated using f=wave speed/wavelength, or f=1/period.
Wave Speed: Wave speed is the speed at which a wave travels.It is calculated by the formula wave speed=D/t, or
wave speed = f/wavelength. Wave speed is measured in m/s.
Period: Period is the amount of time between vibrations in a wave. It is measured in seconds. Period can be calculated using the equation: Period =1/f.
Amplitude: Amplitude is the distance from a wave's equilibrium to it's crest. It is the volume in sound waves. Amplitude is measured in meters and there is no formula because it is just a distance.
Reflection
Overall, this project went very well and I also learned a lot from it. Going into this project, I didn't know pretty much anything about waves or anything to do with sound. After this project, I now know much more about the subject. I think that a big issue in this project was time management. Although we weren't necessarily off task, we sill had to come in at lunch a few days so we'd finish on time. Another thing that didn't go so well was planning. I found that our first design for some of the instruments was not like the end project, because we changed our minds along the way. However, our team worked really well together and our communication was great. We also worked well with coming up with coming up with ideas.