Chicken Sounds from a Cup

Fizztastic Introduction:​

Have you ever heard a rooster crow or a chicken cluck? In today’s experiment, we are going to replicate (which means copy) the sound of a chicken. Sound is a wondrous thing: it is invisible yet impactful. You can’t actually see sound, though you can see its effect on something or even feel it yourself. Some sounds are quiet, and some are very loud, and today we’re going to create an amplifier that will make the sound we produce louder and easier to hear. Are you ready? 


WARNING! This experiment requires a nail. Safety first! 

Fizzlebop Supply List: ​

1. Plastic drinking cup 
2. Nail 
3. 24 in (60 cm) yarn or cotton string 

Fizz Tip: Nylon string does not work well. 

4. Paper clip 
5. Paper towels 
6. Water

The Experiment: ​

1. Delicately punch a hole in the center of the bottom of the cup with the nail. 
2. Tie one end of the yarn to the center of the paper clip. 
3.Push the free end of the yarn through the hole in the cup and pull it through, leaving the paper clip on the outside of the bottom of the cup like an anchor. 

4. Rip off a piece of paper towel about the size of a dollar bill, then fold it one time and get it damp in the water. 
​
Fizz Tip: Do not soak the paper towel. 


5. Holding the cup upside down, grip it tightly in one hand, then wrap the damp paper towel around the string near the cup. 
6. Squeeze the string and pull it down in short jerks so that the paper towel tightly slides along the string. Record what you hear.

“Dr. Fizzlebop, what’s happening?”

The vibrations from the string are nearly silent. However, when you add the cup, it amplifies the vibrations. Have you ever noticed a hole in an acoustic guitar? It’s directly under the strings. This feature is called a soundhole, and it’s used in guitars, mandolins, violins, lutes, and other instruments.

Collecting Your Family’s Data

Do you think the sound would be louder if you used a larger cup? Why or why not? 
What other materials might you try rubbing on the string instead of a paper towel? Test them out and record the results below.

*LEAVE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

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