Waves & Sound

Constructive and destructive interference demonstrated with a slinky.

Wave tank demonstrates a variety of wave phenomena.

Military drill team acts as a transverse wave (GIF).

Frequency scan from 20 Hz to 20000 Hz.

Surfing at The Wedge Footage of surfers in Newport Beach, CA, taking on "The Wedge," a world famous bodysurfing spot where incoming waves constructively interfere with waves reflected off of a pier to make ridiculously huge wave crests.

Another video of reflected ocean waves coming together, demonstrating constructive interference.

You can literally see sound waves created by clapping hands in this video utilizing a technique called "Schlieren Flow Visualization."

A huge car stereo vibrates buildings' windows, just to confirm that sound is created by vibrations (and that some guys are very enthusiastic about their own hearing loss.) A similar video of removing snow via bass.

Tuba playing a song with it's own echo. Can you figure out how far away the building is?

An introduction to the Reuben's Tube, a device that demonstrates the wave nature of sound--using fire! And here's a Reuben's Tube in action playing music.

Demonstrations of the Doppler Effect; first with a car horn and next with a fire truck siren. This one with a trumpet is the best.

Supersonic planes making sonic booms.

A Chladni Plate--just like the one we look(ed) at in class--in case you want to see the demonstration of resonance in two dimensions again.

Vibrations in a wine glass: top view, breaking a glass with human voice (from Mythbusters.) If you spend years practicing with resonance in glasses you can play Tchaikovsky's Sugar Plum Fairy on the Glass Harp. 

The Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse from 1940 is probably the most famous footage that demonstrates resonance.

An earthquake (Mexico, 2014) shakes the ground at the resonant frequency of this swimming pool, resulting a large standing waves.

Music in slow motion: violin string, cymbals, drums, guitars, Legendary metal band Metallica, along with a classical quartet, demonstrate the vibrations of strings and drumheads that lead to the creation of sound and music on this 8-minute clip from the TV show Time Warp.

Amazing music video containing a large number of physics/sound demonstrations: CYMATICS Music vs. Science by Nigel Stanford.

Frequency: When the frame rate of the camera matches the rotation rate of a helicopter's rotor.