Study of Sound

Objectives:
Students will:

1. Brainstorm physical spaces they have visited in which had either good or bad acoustics.

2. Examine the relationship between the physics of sound and concert hall acoustics by reading and discussing  "Art + Physics = Beautiful Music."

3. Calculate the speed of sound by participating in a laboratory experiment.

4. Compare their lab results with the accepted scientific standard for the speed of sound.
5. Examine the relationship between the speed of sound and concert hall acoustics variables.

Activities / Procedures:
1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following instructions using their journals (written on the board prior to class): "Divide your paper in half vertically by drawing a line down the middle. In the left-hand column of your page list places you have visited where the sound quality of the space made it difficult for you to hear what was going on. Describe where you were, what made it difficult to hear, and make a hypothesis as to what caused the difficulty. In the right hand column of your page list places you have been to where the sound quality of the space enhanced your experience of what you were seeing and hearing. What aspect of the sound quality do you think enhanced the experience for you?" After five to ten minutes, students share their responses. Compile two lists on the board, which summarize the students' responses. Leave this list on the board for the duration of the lesson. You may choose to share some basic background information about the physics of sound and acoustics with the class at this time.

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2. As a class, read and discuss "Art + Physics = Beautiful Music," focusing on the following questions:

a. How successful were architects' previous attempts at using calculations to predict good concert hall     acoustics?
b. Which recent concert hall designs have demonstrated a successful collaboration between acousticians and     architects?
c. What does cellist Yo-Yo Ma think is so wonderful about the new concert hall in Tokyo?
d. Why are the physics of concert hall acoustics so difficult to predict and calculate?
e. Why do designers consider copying old great halls a simpler task than creating a more modern structure?
f. What words of caution do architects offer about the reliance on mathematics for determining good acoustics?
g. How did musical styles and performance venues "co-evolve" over time?
h. Who was the first person to apply science to architectural acoustics?
i. What are the six acoustical measures or "metrics" used by contemporary architects?
j. In what way did researchers set up measurement equipment to enable them to record data about a concert    hall's acoustics?
k. According to conductors and music critics, what qualities did good concert halls have in common?
l.  How was computer technology used to process the acoustical data?
m. What role did a scale model play in refining the Tokyo design?
n. According to Mr. Yanagisawa, how important were the acoustical studies on producing a hall with excellent acoustics?

After your discussion you are to write a summative report of your findings.

The report must be word processed.

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3. You are to do the lab "Speed of Sound in Air" as a narrative Lab report.

4. Visit the ThinkQuest’98 Web site entry, "The Soundry"
(http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/) for a demonstration and explanation of principles relevant to the physics of sound.

• After visiting the Soundry you are to write a summative report on what you have learned in each of the areas.
• The report must be word processed.

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