Sound Wave Dancers

Sound Wave Dancers is a twist on the typical Kundt’s Tube science experiment where standing sound waves within a tube cause small objects to “levitate“ in a pattern indicating the nodes. In the version I have created, two frequencies are generated, one fixed and one adjustable. As the frequencies mix (beat) together, the “levitated“ beads do a “dance“ to the beat. Dramatic lighting and colored beads add visual appeal. The two tones are generated by an Arduino Uno which also drives a LCD display which shows the frequencies. The user adjusts the frequency via an encoder wheel. A small amplifier in the control box powers the two speakers (one on each end of the tube). Blue lighting sets off the florescent beads within the tube and creates a unique “lava“ effect. While the sound is quite loud inside the tube, the chamber is sealed and the noise is quite moderate when operating. This exhibit was built by me in my garage and “lab“. It involved woo