How does sound travel?
Sound travels through vibrations in the air.
As the sound travels further away, vibrations grow weaker so the sounds become quieter.
The closer the sound is the stronger the vibrations are, and the louder the sound is.
Watch: Sound da Vinci
Explore how sound works with Da Vinci.
(ding, ding, ding)
DA VINCI: ''How does that sound Freddie?''
FREDDIE: ''What was that? I can't hear you!''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Da Vinci!''
DA VINCI: ''Here comes Karen.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Haven't you got a nice quiet painting to be getting on with? That is too loud!''
DA VINCI: ''Or maybe it’s too quiet.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''No, it's definitely too loud.''
DA VINCI: ''Or maybe it's definitely too quiet, it depends on where you’re standing.''
(ding, ding, ding, ding)
NEIGHBOUR: ''Please stop!''
DA VINCI: ''How did that sound Freddie?''
FREDDIE: ''I can't hear you! I can just hear a fairly quiet bell and an angry lady.''
DA VINCI: ''See? A fairly quiet bell.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''But it's not quiet is it? It's just quiet to him because he's much further away.''
DA VINCI: ''Yes, but why? I'm conducting an experiment to see how noise travels through different materials like um air.''
(blows)
NEIGHBOUR: ''Eurgh''
DA VINCI: ''Sorry, prawns, watch closely.''
(ding, ding, ding)
DA VINCI: ''The bell vibrates which makes the air around it vibrate and then the vibrations travel to here.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Ow.''
DA VINCI: ''It’s the vibrations you’re actually hearing, mama mia that’s a lot of wax, surprised you can hear anything.''
FREDDIE: ''Haven’t we finished yet?''
DA VINCI: ''Not yet Freddie!''
FREDDIE: ''I can't hear you! Bang once for yes, twice for no!''
(ding, ding)
FREDDIE: ''Was that twice?''
(ding)
FREDDIE: ''Thank you!''
NEIGHBOUR: ''If he could hear it as loud as I can hear it, he wouldn’t keep asking you to bang it.''
DA VINCI: ''That’s what’s so fascinating! You see I have discovered that vibrations as they travel through the air begin to spread out, so something that sounds loud here,''
(ding, ding)
DA VINCI: ''Sounds quiet over there! Isn't that right Freddie?"
FREDDIE: ''What?''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Ok so if I travel much further away, upstairs in my house for example, this racket would be much quieter?''
DA VINCI: ''Bingo, you got it at last.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Fine I’ll do that then.''
DA VINCI: ''Fine go do that then. Ok Freddie go even further we’ll see if it gets quieter!''
FREDDIE: ''Ok.''
NEIGHBOUR: ''Hey Da Vinci, I’m upstairs.''
DA VINCI: ''And is it a bit quieter up there?''
(ding, ding, ding)
NEIGHBOUR: ''No, but come a bit closer, yeah that’s better.''
(water splashes)
NEIGHBOUR: ''Hahaha''
DA VINCI: ''Freddie I need a towel.''
FREDDIE: ''What?''
Who was Leonardo da Vinci?
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous Italian scientist, engineer and artist.
He was born in 1452 and died in 1519.
Da Vinci is famous for painting the 'The Last Supper' and 'The Mona Lisa'.
He is also famous for being a scientist and inventor.
He investigated sound and was interested how the human body worked.
As an engineer he drew designs for a parachute and a helicopter, as well as a striking mechanism for bells!
Horrible science fact
Did you know? Leonardo da Vinci once glued some fake wings to a lizard and told people he had a pet dragon.
Do you think you would have fallen for that?
Quiz: Sound Da Vinci
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