Listening, Learning and Exploring: Girls in STEM Discover Sound

On Tuesday, the Girls in STEM Club participated in another engaging session at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, exploring the fascinating science of sound.

The girls learned that sound is produced by vibrations and travels as sound waves through different materials.  They observed a vibrating tuning fork transferring energy to water, causing droplets to splash into the air.  When the tuning fork was placed on a box, the box acted as a resonator, amplifying the sound and making it much louder.

At another station, the girls experimented with springs and cups to investigate how vibrations can be amplified.  One participant excitedly commented, “It sounds like a laser!”

Using a metal coat hanger suspended by strings and held to their ears, the girls discovered how sound can travel through solids.  The sound of the hanger striking a table travelled through the strings and the bones of the head directly to the inner ear.

The relationship between vibration frequency and pitch was demonstrated by rotating a plastic tube at different speeds.  Faster rotation produced a higher-pitched sound, while slower rotation created a lower pitch.  The girls also explored resonance using aluminium cans, which vibrated and produced a clear tone when air was blown between them at the correct distance.

Another activity involved a cup, string, nut and damp cloth.  As the cloth was drawn along the string, friction created vibrations that produced sounds resembling a clucking hen.  In the final experiment, a steel nut rolled inside a balloon, with the stretched rubber amplifying the vibrations and creating a range of amusing sounds.

Working across five hands-on activity stations, the girls investigated sound from different perspectives.  Their observations and creativity demonstrated a growing understanding of sound science while building curiosity, confidence, communication and collaboration skills.  Through practical and engaging experiences, the Girls in STEM Club continues to enthuse young women to discover science and technology in imaginative and meaningful ways.