How do guitar strings make different sounds?
Have you ever played a guitar? Watch the first 20 seconds of the video below.
How does a guitar make all those different sounds?
How are different sounds on a guitar created?
What do guitar strings look like when a guitar is being played?
Let's look at the guitar strings more closely. Watch the video below and carefully observe the strings and sounds.
Crosscutting Concepts - Patterns and Cause & Effect
Scientists use the crosscutting concepts as a set of thinking tools to figure out how and why phenomena happen. Science often starts with empirical evidence that we use to identify patterns. Empirical means based on observation or experience. Scientists use empirical evidence to make claims about specific causes and effects.
Use the crosscutting concepts as thinking tools as you answer these questions about the video.
What patterns do you observe in the video?
What do the patterns on the strings look like as they are being played?
Do you notice any relationships between the patterns of what you hear and what you see?
What do you think causes those patterns? What is your evidence?
Science and Engineering Practices - Developing and Using Models
Scientists develop models to support explanations of phenomena. You will develop a model to explain how guitar strings make high-pitched and low-pitched sounds. Later you will revise your model based on what you learn your investigations.
Use your observations from the video to develop a model for high-pitched and low-pitched sounds from guitar strings. Your model should describe what the string does and how that is related to the sounds you heard. Explain why you think the strings produce different sounds.
Create a model to record your ideas using this Google Jamboard.
Submit your responses to the questions and your model using the Google Form.
Science and Engineering Practices - Developing and Using Models
Scientists use models (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations. You will generate data that will help you explain how guitar strings make high-pitched and low-pitched sounds.
In the following series of investigations, we will use a simulation model to investigate waves on strings and figure out how and why different patterns are formed on strings. Then we will use what we have learned to explain patterns that we noticed in the video.
This activity was created by Dr. Lori Andersen as part of a series of activities for high school physics.