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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.
Sound investigations
Purpose: As students progress through secondary science they will develop an understanding of waves as a means of transferring energy. Practical science activities around the study of sound are often used as a basis for understanding features of waves such as wavelength, frequency and amplitude. Digital technology can provide simple and inexpensive tools for such activities. Tablet devices have inbuilt microphones, speakers and display panels, and a variety of sound level, signal generator and frequency analyser apps are available.
Teaching approach: A digital device with a frequency analyser app can be used to investigate the properties of sound created by a variety of musical instruments and comparing these with simpler sounds from, for instance, tuning forks. Students use digital technology as a measuring and recording device, and may save screen shots of the wave patterns created as images for later comparison, or to print as part of a display.
Preparation: Groups of students will need different sound sources to compare, such as a musical instrument, whistle and tuning fork, plus a digital device such as a tablet computer or laptop with inbuilt microphone running frequency analyser software. Preliminary planning should consider how to collect comparative data and eliminate unwanted sources of sound.
A European project, Science on Stage, produces detailed and extensive guidance on this and other similar activities.
The Spectral Sounds article uses a similar approach to that described, but also provides further analysis opportunities more suited to older students.
https://www.science-on-stage.eu/page/display/5/28/1290/istage-2-smartphones-in-science-teaching
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