Roles:
Rebecca Gluck, Tim Brown and Elizabeth Berridge will all take on equal roles in Data Collecting, Recording and Analyzing.
Data Collection of Human Voices: Rebecca Gluck
Data Collection of musical Instruments: Tim Brown, Elizabeth Berridge
Data Collection of Concerts: Rebecca Gluck, Tim Brown, Elizabeth Berridge
Data Recorders: Rebecca Gluck, Tim Brown, Elizabeth Berridge
Data Analysis/ Comparing differences in Human Voices/Instruments /Discerning Patterns in images from Concert: Rebecca Gluck, Tim Brown, Elizabeth Berridge
List of equipment and supplies:
1. Device to view sound waves(plastic cup, balloon, duct tape, mirror shard, laser pointer, paper clip), 2. phone camera, 3. computer 4. Vernier LabQuest Pro Sound Level Meter
What is the science/technology involved?
We will use the device created with a plastic cup, balloon, duct tape, mirror shard, laser pointer, paper clip etc. to have a visual means of reviewing sound waves. The sound will enter the end of the plastic cup and vibrate the balloon stretched across the other end. Attached to the balloon will be a small shard of mirror which will vibrate with the balloon. A laser pointer will be reflecting off the mirror onto a flat surface (most likely a wall). The reflected light on the wall will move in correspondence with the vibrations caused by the sound waves entering the cup. Different sounds have different waves and will create different patterns. By analyzing the visuals we can discern differences in voices and instruments as well as recognize patterns between sounds and their sources.
We will also record the sounds that enter the cup using the Vernier LabQuest Pro Sound Level Meter, which will measure the frequency and decibel level to compare with the visuals and recognize patterns between the two types of data(visual and numerical).
Activity plan (how will you take your data, what equipment will you use). Include dates and meeting times.
We will take our data using the aforementioned devices. We will be meeting at 1 pm on sunday afternoons and begin by creating the two or three cup/balloon devices. Individually throughout the week and on sundays together we will collect data by having different people speak into the cup while one group member records the visuals and another records the numerical data with the Vernier LabQuest Pro Sound Level Meter. We will repeat this process with different subjects as well as with different instruments. Recording data from concerts will depend on when the next concert is scheduled, we will attend said concert and let the sound penetrate the device while recording the data.
What outcome(s)/data do you expect? Why?
We expect to have different data for every sound/voice/instrument because each sound uses a different frequency and therefor has a different wave length which will correspond to a different kind of pattern from the reflected laser pointer. We expect there will be a greater similarities between same sex voices versus opposite sex voices, most likely because of similar frequencies among same sex voices. We expect there will be erratic numerical and visual data from a concert, as there will be a multitude of sounds and sound waves. We also expect to see data correspond between the visuals, and the numerical data taken with the Vernier LabQuest Pro Sound Level Meter. The patterns that are projected will no doubt change based on the sound wave length and hopefully with the numerical data we will be able to discern which frequencies/sound waves correspond with which patterns.
Interesting aspect. Looking at visualized sound shapes using an Acousto-Optical-Mechanical device where the mechanical aspect serves as a bridge between sound and optical effects. You listed a computer as a device. How will you utilize the computer? It will also be useful to explain a little more of the physics behind the sound – image conversion.