PHYSICS NOTES
Entry 01: Monday, 4 September
Professor Walker’s assignment on Module 1
Deadline: Monday, 11 September
Objective:
- Explore the physical principles behind the sound production and acoustics of musical instruments
- Understand the relationship between the structure of an instrument and the sound it produces.
Materials needed:
- A selection of musical instruments (e.g., guitar, violin, flute, drum)
- Frequency analyzer or smartphone app with frequency analysis capabilities
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Research materials (books, articles, internet access)
- Data recording sheets
Instructions:
1. Selection of Instruments:
- Each pair of students selects two different musical instruments to study. Ensure that the chosen instruments are diverse (e.g., one string instrument and one wind instrument).
2. Research Phase:
- Conduct research on the physical principles behind the selected instruments. Investigate how sound is produced, the role of resonance, the importance of material and shape, and the characteristic frequencies.
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- Record detailed notes on the theoretical aspects of the instruments.
3. Experimental Setup:
- Use a frequency analyzer or a smartphone app to measure the frequencies produced by the instruments when played.
- Measure the physical dimensions of the instruments, such as string length, body length, and air column length, as applicable.
3. Data Collection:
- For string instruments, pluck or bow the strings and record the fundamental frequency and harmonics.
- For wind instruments, produce sound at different pitches and record the corresponding frequencies.
- For percussion instruments, strike the surface and record the resulting frequencies and overtones.
- Record all data systematically, noting the conditions under which each measurement was taken.
4. Analysis:
- Analyze the recorded frequencies to identify patterns and relationships between the physical characteristics of the instruments and the sounds produced.
- Compare the experimental results with the theoretical research conducted earlier.
5. Report and Presentation:
- Prepare a detailed report summarizing the research, experimental setup, data collected, and analysis. Include diagrams, frequency spectra, and calculations.
- Create a presentation to share your findings with the class. Highlight key insights, interesting observations, and any challenges faced during the project.
-6. Class Discussion:
- After presenting, engage in a class discussion to compare the findings of different pairs and explore the similarities and differences in the acoustics of various musical instruments.
EVALUATION CRITERIA:
- Depth and accuracy of the research
- Completeness and precision of the experimental data
- Quality of the analysis and interpretation of results
- Clarity and organization of the report
- Effectiveness and engagement of the presentation
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Partner for the assignment: Eric Gloria
- Second to last row, four seats into the right.
- Dirty-blonde hair in an undercut, bright hazel eyes, sharp jawline, long eyelashes, high nose bridge, a beauty mark under his left eye.
- 6'2
- 57 kg
- 23 years old
- He goes to gym daily and isn't afraid to show off his muscles
- Has a minty breath and smells of lavender.
- Has a father, a mother, and two older sisters.
- Attends Elisa Oak Private Academy for Boys and Girls in London for elementary, middle, and high school
- Elisa Oak is his famous aunt
- Has four exes.
- Body count: 12 (according to Priyanka)
- Little to no interest in physics yet no explained reason why he had applied for this field (only good at the basic knowledge)
- The life of the party
- He likes to go to parties and clubs.
- He likes vodka, cocktail and champagne.
- He has a thing for denim clothes, but he suits a classy, bad boy style more (according to Priyanka)
- Shows up to class in a fancy Bugatti
- He likes MLB.
- He likes playing golf with his dad.
- He has two apartments and three parks in his name in Sweden
- Soon to inherit a large fortune from his millionaire grandparents.
- Rumored to have sleep with his past teachers??
- Always gets his way.
- The boy-next-door type (back in his primary education years)
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Meet up with Eric this Saturday to do the assignment at the university library, at 8:00.
To do:
- Bring: violin, laptop, measuring tape.