The Physics Classroom
Formation of Chladni Pattern 1
Salt is sprinkled onto a metal plate. The plate is strummed with a violin bow and set into vibration. The salt crystals vibrate about the plate until they settle onto positions of nodes (points of no despacement). Several patterns can be obtained, each associated with a unique frequency of vibrations. These standing wave patterns are known as Chladni patterns, named in honor of a 19th century German physicist who advanced our understanding of acoustics and the physics of music.
Formation of Chladni Pattern 1
Salt is sprinkled onto a metal plate. The plate is strummed with a violin bow and set into vibration. The salt crystals vibrate about the plate until they settle onto positions of nodes (points of no despacement). Several patterns can be obtained, each associated with a unique frequency of vibrations. These standing wave patterns are known as Chladni patterns, named in honor of a 19th century German physicist who advanced our understanding of acoustics and the physics of music.