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Phil Tulga: Hearing Fractions

Many instruments produce sound by vibrating a string, or a column of air inside a tube. 

In this activity, Phil’s daughter, Sarah, shows you how instruments vibrate in fractions called the harmonic series.  You will see and hear these harmonics on a string (i.e., violin), an open-end tube (i.e., her trumpet), and a closed-end tube (i.e., panpipes).  She also includes four of her favorite bugle calls for you to play!


Science Topics
Physics, Sound
Math Topics
Fractions & Decimals
K-6
3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade

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Phil Tulga

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Online Interactive Activity

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