SOS: Sect2-pg2: Try it | Dangerous Decibels Online Educator Training

Science of Sound: 2. How is Sound Made?

Try it!

Find the tuning in your kit so you can start to use it.
Hold the tuning fork by the handle/stem and gently strike one of the tuning fork tines against the heel of your shoe to get it vibrating. After the tines are vibrating, hold the tuning fork up by your ear without touching your ear.

⚠ CAUTION! Don’t touch the tuning fork to your glasses, teeth or anything breakable (like windows) or they might break!

2. How is Sound Made?

What happens when you strike the tuning fork? What happens when you strike the tuning fork? Nothing happens The air vibrations are very strong and I can feel the air currents move around my ear. I hear a tone.

If you didn’t hear anything, try striking the fork harder, then hold the fork closer to your ear.

The vibrations created by the fork are not strong enough for you to feel air currents. Try it again!

Yes! You will hear a tone when you strike the tuning fork because the moving tines vibrate the air around it. When these vibrations reach our ear, our brain interprets them as "sound."