Musical Coathanger

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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.]

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per student
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 18
Resource Type:
Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • wire coat-hanger
  • cotton thread

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Vibration and Waves
      • Sound
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

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

Other

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

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