Science: Sound and Vibrations
Explore how sounds are made, travel, and change
Science: Sound and Vibrations
Explore how sounds are made, travel, and change
Science - Grade 2-3
- 1
A student plucks a rubber band stretched around a box. The rubber band moves back and forth very quickly. What is the rubber band doing to make sound?
A vibration is a quick back-and-forth movement.
The rubber band is vibrating. Its quick back-and-forth motion makes sound. - 2
Put your fingers gently on your throat while you hum. What do you feel, and what does it tell you about sound?
You feel your throat vibrating. This shows that your voice makes sound by using vibrations. - 3
Circle the object that is most likely making a sound because it is vibrating: a ringing bell, a still rock, or a closed book sitting on a desk. Explain your choice.
Sound usually comes from something that is moving back and forth quickly.
A ringing bell is most likely making a sound because it is vibrating. The still rock and closed book are not moving or making sound. - 4
A drum makes a sound when it is hit. Which part of the drum vibrates to make the sound?
The top part of the drum, called the drumhead, vibrates to make the sound. - 5
Mia taps a glass gently with a spoon. Then she taps it harder. How will the sound probably change?
A stronger hit often makes a bigger vibration.
The harder tap will probably make a louder sound because the glass vibrates with more energy. - 6
A whisper and a shout are both sounds made by a voice. How are they different?
A whisper is a soft sound, and a shout is a loud sound. - 7
A small bird makes a high chirp. A large drum makes a low boom. Which sound has a higher pitch?
Pitch tells how high or low a sound is.
The bird's chirp has a higher pitch than the drum's boom. - 8
Sound can travel through air to reach your ears. Give one example of a sound that travels through the air in your classroom or home.
An example is a teacher's voice, a doorbell, music, or a person clapping. The sound travels through the air to my ears. - 9
A friend speaks to you from across the playground. What does the sound travel through before it reaches your ears?
Think about what is between you and your friend.
The sound travels through the air before it reaches my ears. - 10
Look at two strings on a pretend instrument. One string is loose, and one string is tight. The tight string makes a higher sound. Which string vibrates faster?
The tight string vibrates faster. Faster vibrations usually make a higher pitch. - 11
Why does a guitar string stop making sound after you touch it with your finger?
If the vibration stops, the sound stops too.
The guitar string stops making sound because your finger stops or slows the vibration. - 12
A student puts rice on top of plastic wrap stretched over a bowl. When the student claps near the bowl, the rice jumps. What does the jumping rice show?
The jumping rice shows that sound can cause vibrations. The sound from the clap makes the plastic wrap vibrate and move the rice. - 13
Complete the sentence: Sound is made when something __________.
Use the science word for quick back-and-forth movement.
Sound is made when something vibrates.