My PBL Project

Introduction~

My PBL Project is primarily concerned with the principle of resonance and acoustics. Chladni plates are unique because they provide an excellent way for the concept of sound, something that we don't see and can't easily conceptualize, to be explained visually in a very fun way. Chladni Plates were designed by Ernst Chladni (see Background Information) in an effort to study the movement of sound waves.

Materials~

Silica sand

Mechanical Tone/Wave Generator

Large container

Thin metal plates(of various shapes; will be connected to the tone generator)

Pair of cables(depends on type of machine used; will be connected to the tone generator)

Small shaker bottles

Wave frequency panel controller

Procedures~

1. Plug in the tone generator and place it in the middle of your container.

2. Connect the the cables to the tone generator below where the metal plate will be fitted.

3. Connect the other end of the cables into the wave frequency controller without turning it on.

4. Choose a metal plate of any shape and fit it into the allotted space on the top of the tone generator, making sure to move the switch under it from "unlock" to a "lock" position. If the plate is still not centered use your finger to lightly push the edges until it is. *This is very important because it keeps the plate in place and centered. Do not skip this step.*

5. If you haven't already, pour silica sand into the a shaker bottle and proceed to shake sand onto the metal plate making sure the entire surface is covered.