demonstrations:music_box_on_bench
Music Box on Bench
Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
Categories: Sound
Alternative titles: Music Box Sound Amplification Model
Summary
A small music box is played while held in the air, producing a faint sound. When pressed against a solid surface (like a bench), that surface vibrates, amplifying the sound and demonstrating forced vibration and resonance.
Procedure
- Wind or activate the music box mechanism.
- Hold the music box in the air and listen to the faint sound produced.
- Gently press the base of the music box against a firm bench or table surface.
- Wind or activate the mechanism again and observe the louder, richer sound.
- Discuss how the surface enhances the volume through vibration.
Links
Music Box - How Does It Work? - Curiosity Show:
Variations
- Test different surfaces (e.g., wood, metal, plastic) to compare amplification effects.
- Try placing the music box against hollow versus solid objects to explore resonance quality.
- Use varying pressure—light to firm—to observe how coupling strength affects sound.
Safety Precautions
None
Questions to Consider
- Why is the music box much quieter when held in the air?
- How does pressing it against a bench amplify the sound?
- What physical principles (like resonance or forced vibration) are at play?
- Which surface gave the loudest sound—and why?