Talk it Out! Telephones

Objective

A fun way to find out how sound travels and talk to friends without using a cell phone.

WHAT YOU NEED

• 2 Paper/plastic/styrofoam cups
• 2 paper clips (OPTIONAL)
• About 4 feet of some type of string
• Pencil/pen

What to Do

1. Punch a small hole in the bottom of each cup with the pen/pencil. Each hole should be just large enough so that the string will go through
2. From the outside, insert one end of the string into the hole of one cup.
3. Once the string is through the cup tie a knot around the paper clip (IF you do not have paper clips just tie a couple of knots in the end of the string so that it will not slip through the hole)
4. Repeat Steps 2 & 3 for the second cup

TRY IT OUT

With one person holding each cup, stretch the string so that it is tight. One person talks into their cup while the other person holds it up to their ear to hear the message.

WHY IT WORKS

When someone speaks or makes a sound, the air ripples or vibrates. The Word Vibrate means to move up and down, or back and forth rapidly. Our ears collect the sound vibration, or sound waves and send them to our brains. Then we hear the sound!

Did it work out for you? Why or Why Not?