The tuning fork makes a simple wave.

This is a simple sound wave made by striking a tuning fork against a hard rubber shoe.

Vibrations at the tip of the fork move the particles of matter around the fork.

How do you know the tuning fork is vibrating? How do you know these vibrations will make particles of matter move?

First let’s THINK! When the tuning fork vibrates, we hear a sound and we can see the tips of the fork moving. Particles of matter are moving and we hear a sound. BUT how can we see the matter moving??? HUM

What if we do an experiment that shows particles of matter moving? What would happen to a cup full of water when we put a tuning fork into it?

If the cup of water is full, then putting a vibrating tuning fork into it will make the water splash out. We will show that the vibrating tuning fork moves particles of matter!

Materials for our experiment... Cup of Water Tuning Fork

What will we hit the tuning fork against to get it to vibrate?

A Hockey Puck will work!

First let’s test what will happen to the water in the cup when we Do not hit the tuning fork against the hockey puck!

Remember: the tuning fork was NOT hit against the hockey puck.

What did we see when we did not hit the tuning fork against the hockey puck? The water moved a little, but did not splash out of the cup.

Next, let’s test what will happen to the water in the cup when we HIT the tuning fork against the hockey puck!

Watch what happens to the water when BOTH TIPS of the tuning fork are put in the water!

Let’s see thatAGAIN !

When the vibrating tuning fork touches the water, it splashes out of the cup!

Did the particles of matter move when the vibrating tuning fork went into the cup of water? See the water drops!

Even the paper is wet!

How do you know the tuning fork is vibrating? How do you know these vibrations will make particles of matter move?