Making a sound gun

Making a sound gun

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses

Making a Sound Gun:

  • With the cardboard tubing and the glad wrap make a sound gun like the one in the picture. Use elastic bands to hold the glad wrap on.
  • Carefully make a small hole with a pencil in the glad wrap at one end of the sound gun.
  • Hold the end with the hole in it close to the flame of a candle.
  • Tap the other end quickly with your hand.
  • Try tapping the sound gun a few times.
  • Answer the questions below.
a)
What happened to the flame when you tapped the end of the sound gun?
 

 
 
b)
When you tapped the end of the sound gun you started a sound wave.
What effect did this sound wave have on the air in the tube when it reached the hole at the end?
 
 
 
 
Task administration: 

Equipment: 20 cm of cardboard tubing; gladwrap; pencil; candle; matches, elastic bands. 

Teacher instructions: The hole that is made needs to be the width of a normal pencil, approximately 8 mm.

Level:
4
Curriculum info: 
Science, Investigating in science, Physical World
Keywords: 
physical inquiry, sound, sound waves, exploring
Description of task: 
Task: Make a sound gun and use it to investigate what happens to a candle when the end of the sound gun is tapped. Assessment focus: sound waves.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss describing being about what you see, and explaining being about what your observations make you think.
 
Making Better Sense: 
Sound
Answers/responses: 
a) Accurate recording of observations, e.g., the flame went out/was blown over.
b) When the sound wave reaches the end of the tube, it forces air out of the hole which blows out the candle flame.