Project ideas anyone?

[theblackalchemist]

Greetings.
I need a few ideas for a project for my Physics class, that stays within the range of these topics.
(any one or more)
>Gravitation
>Motion(circular, linear, Projectile in 2-d)
>Thermal Energy
>Sound

Any idea for an unique working model based on the above principles?

Regards
TBA

[modest]

Originally Posted by theblackalchemist

>Gravitation
>Motion(circular, linear, Projectile in 2-d)
>Thermal Energy
>Sound

Any idea for an unique working model based on the above principles?

A model rocket which detonates a firecracker with the ejection charge of the motor. You could calculate the thermal energy per second of the motor and the total work or impulse it's expected to give which would give you the expected height for the rocket. You could also do the amount of time the sound from the firecracker would take to reach the observer which would cover sound.

~modest

[Pyrotex]

stretch a thick plastic film very tightly on a large rigid circular frame -- like a meter-wide steel ring -- making something very like the head of a drum. Mount the film horizontally and place a speaker cone underneath. Sprinkle some contrasting powder on the film -- if the film is white, use black powder (like pepper) or if it's dark, use a white powder (like salt).

Play constant sounds through the speaker, and see if the powder clumps together at the film's static nodes of vibration. It should if you increase the volume, and if the speaker is close enough to the film.

For sounds, begin with pure sine-wave tones. Try different frequencies. Then combine two different sine-wave tones. See if there's any difference when the two pure tones "harmonize together" and when they sound discordant (clash). Use a digital camera or phone camera to capture the powder patterns on the film. Analyze these patterns. Determine what they tell you about the sounds being used.

[theblackalchemist]

Greetings,
thanks Pyrotex
just tell me what does this demonstrate?
does it happen by any chance to be interference (hows that spelt again??)


Thx
TBA

[Pyrotex]

TBA: yes. Interference. Both destructive and constructive. But it also shows the vibration modes of the stretched drum head are being excited, which basically is what parts of the drumhead are moving and what parts are stationary.

[freeztar]

I'm not sure what level of physics or how much you have to dedicate to resources, but here's a couple ideas.

1) Simple idea: Drop a massive object from a certain height. Measure the time it takes for the object to reach the ground (or whatever material it lands on). Have someone drop the object for you and stand a certain distance away from the experiment with a stopwatch. Measure the time difference between seeing the object land and hearing it land. Repeat both procedures several time and apply some statistics. You could take it in many different directions from here (example: Compare your self-derived gravitation and sound formulas versus established formulas. How do they differ? Why?).

2) More complex idea: Use computer programs to show wave patterns. Using almost any modern computer, you can download tons of free programs that will allow you to process, analyze, edit, morph, and manipulate various audio sources. In addition, some programs allow you to generate sounds using sine waves, cosine waves, square waves, etc. I think it would be a novel project to map certain combinations of waves by generating them and graphing the results via an oscilloscope. This allows you the ability to make predictions based on the mathematics of sound and then test those predictions using this program. Or, you may find that playing around with certain combinations of waves produces distinct and reproducable results. Several such occurrences could form the beginnings of a brand new hypothesis which further merges mathematics and sound waves. (example: Interference patterns from all waves with frequencies that are a prime number from the range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz (human range of hearing) define equations such that...) [feel free to PM me if you'd like help getting programs that would be needed for this]

I must say though, that Modest's suggestion is appealing because it covers all the subjects in one project that is fairly cheap, safe, and simple to implement.

[theblackalchemist]

Originally Posted by freeztar

I'm not sure what level of physics or how much you have to dedicate to resources, but here's a couple ideas.

2) More complex idea: Use computer programs to show wave patterns. Using almost any modern computer, you can download tons of free programs that will allow you to process, analyze, edit, morph, and manipulate various audio sources. In addition, some programs allow you to generate sounds using sine waves, cosine waves, square waves, etc. I think it would be a novel project to map certain combinations of waves by generating them and graphing the results via an oscilloscope. This allows you the ability to make predictions based on the mathematics of sound and then test those predictions using this program. Or, you may find that playing around with certain combinations of waves produces distinct and reproducable results. Several such occurrences could form the beginnings of a brand new hypothesis which further merges mathematics and sound waves. (example: Interference patterns from all waves with frequencies that are a prime number from the range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz (human range of hearing) define equations such that...) [feel free to PM me if you'd like help getting programs that would be needed for this]

Greetings,

I could have done that, but only its done by atleast 7 previous batches

i am thinking on Pyrotex's idea.
novel, and in the perfect range of my levels

Regards
TBA