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In this activity, learners turn an ordinary metal coat-hanger into a (very quiet) musical instrument. Learners discover that sound vibrations travel better through tight cotton threads than through the air, and therefore, enhance the volume of the sound. Learners are also encouraged to explore this same concept in the bathtub, using a spoon to see how well sound travels through water. [Activity is publicly available through a web crawler capture on Archive.org.]
- Under 5 minutes
- 5 to 10 minutes
- 1 cent - $1 per student
- Ages 8 - 18
- Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- wire coat-hanger
- cotton thread
Subjects
-
Physical Sciences
-
Vibration and Waves
- Sound
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Vibration and Waves
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
-
The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Music
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- hear
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Links STEM to other topics of interest such as arts and humanities
- Involves hands-on or lab activities