Wave Project-
Room Size vs. Sound Interference
The experiment that our group chose to test was how different sizes of rooms affect the interference of a high pitched noise.
Abstract:
The reasoning for us doing this project was to see if the size of a room actually mattered. During this project we investigated the question “Does the size of a room affect the high pitched sound than the larger the room, the less interference between each sound wave will occur?” We needed to think of a question that would make our teacher, Brian, proud of us. It was a good question, but he wasn’t impressed with us. By us, I mean Haley, Zoe, and Lyric. He gave us ways of making our project better and talked to our group almost every day. In the long run, he helped us refine our project to the best it could be.
Introduction:
The experiment that we tested was sound and how it changes in different sized rooms. We chose this because it seemed like an interested topic compared to other topics. We did it because we all had an interest in music, and this seemed like it had real world implications such as if you wanted to make a perfect sound room for playing and or listening to music. Depending on the size of the room, the sound waves interference with each other might change. If the room is large, they could happen less and less, until they are basically not running into each other, or if the room in small, they could run into each other so much that it’s an entire room full of interfering sound waves and nothing else.
Question/Hypothesis:
Our initial question to start this project was as follows: How does the shape of a room affect the quality of the sound waves? As we discussed our project further with Brian, we decided that quality wasn’t a good word to use and we had to rewrite most of the question. The new question made more sense and sounded more scientific.
How does the size of a room affect the constructive interference from a high pitched sound?
Our hypothesis wasn’t much different either.
If the size of a room affects the high pitched sound than the larger the room, the less interference between each sound wave will occur.
Methods & Materials
Lets start off with materials so if you wanted, you could replicate the experiment. The main materials we used during the testing, were a pair of speakers, they have to be exactly the same and have to play at the same time, an iPhone using the YouTube app playing a video of a high pitched noise (note, the sound does not have to be high pitched), and an app to measure the sound tones called Decibel 10. The not as important materials we used were tape, for marking testing spots, a measuring tape, and the three different rooms we used to test in. The rooms can differ depending on where you’re testing, but they all have to be different sizes. The methods we went about using for testing the procedure was actually quite simple. We would measure the room’s length and width, and find the middle point of it’s width. We would mark that with the tape and then find the middle point between the side and the first, main middle point. Basically the one fourth or three fourths points. We’d mark both of them and then get the speakers set up. In each room, the speakers have to be the same exact distance apart from each other for the test to work. Once that is set up, and you've connected the iPhone with YouTube ready with the video, and you have your Decibel 10 app up on another phone, you can test the sound at each of the three spots that you marked with the tape. Do this in all of the rooms you test in.
Results:
Room Locations:
Room:
Dimensions:
Left
Middle
Right
Sara’s Room
Length: 26 ft. 8 in.
Width 1: 31 ft. 4 in.
Width 2: 30 ft. 1 in.
Max:
88
Max:
86
Max:
84
Lauren’s Room
Length: 26 ft. 8 in.
Width 1: 22 ft. 8 in.
Width 2: 23 ft. 4 in.
Max:
84
Max:
86
Max:
87
Dave’s Room
Length: 27 ft. 1in.
Width 1: 22 ft. 7 in.
Width 2: 22 ft. 11 in.
Max:
83
Max:
85.694360
Max:
87
Discussion:
In the data above, we show you the max high of the soundwaves. In our hypothesis we talk about how we guessed that the bigger the room there will be less interference. In the middle of the room the highest average for all was 86. Which shows that the middle constantly get the same max waves. The left of the room has a high between 83-88. Which shows that the left of the room has somewhat of a difference. The right of the rooms varied between 87-84. The two rooms closer in size both got 87. We expected that there would be a bigger difference in the data we collected. If we were to improve upon our project we would have tested more spots in more rooms, and made sure all the rooms were made of the same materials and contains the same objects. In our project two rooms were almost the same size.
Water Project-
For this project, we were put into groups and choose a country to investigate on. Our group's country was Kenya, and our job for this project was to create a mock filter to help make clean and safe water specific for our country's needs. We had to design and create a filtration system that was easy to use, cheap, portable, and of course reliable.
Snow Science Awareness Project-
What We Did-
During this project, we choose partners and a topic for snow science. My partner and I choose to do how the wind effects the snow and how it could potentially cause an avalanche. Snow science is relevant in my life because I live in a rather snowy area, and anywhere I go there could be a potential avalanche. So, therefore it would be good for me to learn about snow science and how to identify different aspects of snow science. As for the water role in the American west, it is something that is becoming more and more of a problem, the Colorado river is no longer reaching it's delta because of the growing cities and the much higher demand for it. Which is obviously a problem. Also, a skill that I learned while doing this unit was how to identify with a color rose. A color rose is used to tell the severity of the snow and weather.
What We Did-
During this project, we choose partners and a topic for snow science. My partner and I choose to do how the wind effects the snow and how it could potentially cause an avalanche. Snow science is relevant in my life because I live in a rather snowy area, and anywhere I go there could be a potential avalanche. So, therefore it would be good for me to learn about snow science and how to identify different aspects of snow science. As for the water role in the American west, it is something that is becoming more and more of a problem, the Colorado river is no longer reaching it's delta because of the growing cities and the much higher demand for it. Which is obviously a problem. Also, a skill that I learned while doing this unit was how to identify with a color rose. A color rose is used to tell the severity of the snow and weather.
Wear A helmet! (physics final power point)
Water Rocket Project- |
For this project, rockets were supposed to be made testing two variables. My partner and I's variables that were being testing was the cone shape as well as the shape of the fins to assure that the rocket would fly as high as possible. These were also the variables that were talked about in our hypothesis. At first we made the rocket have basic plastic flat fins on all four sides. (see pictures) Those seemed to be way to flimsy so, then we made fins that were more tube shaped, so the air flow would be better.(see pictures) Finally, the reason we choose this variable was because we thought it would be one that was less tested.
Question-How does the shape of a fin on a rocket affect the way that the rocket fly's based on the shape of the fins?
Hypothesis- If the shape of fins affects how the rocket fly's then we would want the fins to be as aerodynamic as possible, because then the rocket will have a better chance of going higher and the air flow will be better.
Procedure- To start, how we went about testing our variable was we started with testing the rocket with flat plastic fins. Those didn't seem to help very much, they were flimsy and very weak, and they really only added weight. So, we decided to hollow cylinder fins so the air flow would be better and make it easier for the air to get around the rocket.
Constants-
Pressure (psi)
Shape
Dimensions
Two Chambers
The way we choose to graph our data as a bar graph instead of a scatter plot was because the variable we were testing was the fins on our rocket, so, basically there's not much to it, we couldn't have used any other type of graph.
Conclusion- Finally, our results, in relation to our hypothesis were different then we expected. The rocket didn't go as high as it did with the triangle fins which was surprising. Also, to include there were no errors, that we found during the experiment except that we did have some leaks in our rocket in a few of our tests but they were patched up; so overall it was a good lab. Testing helped us improve our rocket design because we could find what went wrong with our previous tests and fix it for tests coming up. Any other recommendations that I have for other students would be that they should defiantly plan to make more then one rocket.
Question-How does the shape of a fin on a rocket affect the way that the rocket fly's based on the shape of the fins?
Hypothesis- If the shape of fins affects how the rocket fly's then we would want the fins to be as aerodynamic as possible, because then the rocket will have a better chance of going higher and the air flow will be better.
Procedure- To start, how we went about testing our variable was we started with testing the rocket with flat plastic fins. Those didn't seem to help very much, they were flimsy and very weak, and they really only added weight. So, we decided to hollow cylinder fins so the air flow would be better and make it easier for the air to get around the rocket.
Constants-
Pressure (psi)
Shape
Dimensions
Two Chambers
The way we choose to graph our data as a bar graph instead of a scatter plot was because the variable we were testing was the fins on our rocket, so, basically there's not much to it, we couldn't have used any other type of graph.
Conclusion- Finally, our results, in relation to our hypothesis were different then we expected. The rocket didn't go as high as it did with the triangle fins which was surprising. Also, to include there were no errors, that we found during the experiment except that we did have some leaks in our rocket in a few of our tests but they were patched up; so overall it was a good lab. Testing helped us improve our rocket design because we could find what went wrong with our previous tests and fix it for tests coming up. Any other recommendations that I have for other students would be that they should defiantly plan to make more then one rocket.