Freshman Seminar: Volcanoes and Civilization

Volcanoes and Music

How does music work? What is sound? What is pitch? How are sounds created and observed and what is the difference between noise and music?

Try to think of different sounds you might observe in nature: what are their sources? Next, consider a symphony orchestra – how do the different instruments create sounds? Is there a common thread that runs between each of these widely varying phenomena?

In this exercise we will examine the nature of audio signals and how they relate to volcanic activity.

1) Find a wind instrument and bring it to class. If you do not play an instrument or cannot locate a wind instrument, try to think of a substitute. What common household object might work? Think of sounds that kids might create in a fast food restaurant when served a bottle of soda.

2) How is the sound formed in your instrument?

3) How do you think this relates to sounds observed in nature, and in particular on volcanoes?

4) How do different instruments change their pitch?

5) If a volcano is changing its ‘pitch’, what might this indicate?