Milk Bottle Xylophone

No for an experiment in sound!

1. Arrange six glass jars or bottles, all the same size with no lids, in a line.
What will each jar sound like when you tap it with a spoon? Make a
prediction, then tap each jar. Record your observations.
2. Next, put water in each of the jars. Pour 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) of water into the
first jar. Add 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of water to the second jar. Continue in 1⁄4-
cup increments, adding 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) of water to the third jar, 1 cup
(240 ml) of water to the fourth jar, 11⁄4 cups (300 ml) of water to the
fifth jar, and 11⁄2 cups (360 ml) to the sixth jar. Add a couple of drops of
food coloring to each jar.
3. What will each jar sound like? Will they sound the same or different
than when the container was empty? Will they sound the same or
different from one another? Record your predictions.
4. Tap each jar with a metal spoon. Write down your observations about
each jar’s pitch (how high or low a sound is) in your notebook.

Sound waves are created by vibrations, which are back-and-forth movements

that are repeated again and again. Pitch depends on the frequency of the
waves — how many are created each second. A high pitch is created by high-
frequency sound waves, and can sound squeaky. A low pitch is created by low-
frequency sound waves, and sounds deep and booming.

When you tapped the jar, it vibrated. The vibrations traveled from the jar to
the water to the air and eventually to your ears. The jars with more water had
a low pitch. The sound waves vibrated more slowly because they had more
water to travel through. The jars with less water had higher pitches. The sound
waves vibrated faster because they had less water to travel through. A jar with
no water in it makes the highest pitch because it has the least substance to
travel through.
DIY compass
Magnetize the needle

Hold the needle, and take your magnet and stroke it down the
length of your needle 50 times. If you are using a weaker magnet
you may need to do this more than 50 times. But for most good
quality magnets 50 should be about right.

Magnetize the other end with the reverse

Now this is very important, take note of which side of the

magnet you were using. Flip the needle around so you are
holding the other end, and flip over the magnet so you are using
the other side of the magnet. Now repeat on the non-
magnetized end of of the needle.

Prepare the cork

Cut a cork so it is about 1 to 2 cm thick.

Insert the needle

Carefully push the needle through the cork. This is best done by
an adult with a pair of pliers. I found it easiest if I used a thumb
tack to start the hole, then pushed the needle through. You want
the cork to be centered on the needle.

Fill a bowl with water

Set out your bowl and fill it with a few inches of water.

Test the compass!

Place your cork and needle in the water and see how it moves. It
should align itself so it points North.

How A Homemade Compass Works

Magnetism can be seen in action whenever you have two magnets
close together. Magnets have a positive and a negative side. This
causes them to either push against one another or be pulled together.
Two positive sides will repeal each other causing the magnets to push
apart. But Flip one magnet over so you have a positive and a negative
near each other and they will attract each other.