Sci Fri: Sound of Science

 

Admittedly, this is science revisited. Years ago, we did this experiment with the big kids-who were much smaller at the time. You can add expansions as the kids age, while introducing the experiment for the first time, to your younger set. The look on their faces when they hear the 'gong' in their ears-is just as ecstatic!

Cut a piece of yarn that, when bent, reaches to about your waist.

Tie on a spoon to the center and let it hang. Wrap the ends of the yarn loosely around your fingers and touch the inside of your ears gently (you're aiming to feel vibration, not stunt it.) Have the child swing the spoon until it hits a surface (a metal ruler works best.)

They should hear a 'gong' in their ears as the sound waves vibrate up through the yarn. The kids experimented with more than just spoons and found the best results with the metal ruler.