Sound Amplification

J loves hearing his voice and playing with tubes.

Why is your voice louder when you speak through a tube?
*The tube focuses the sound waves in one direction rather than the sound waves bouncing around the room before they hit your ear (my interpretation from the many websites explaining this concept to kids).
*This explanation is simple enough for kids.  However, there's a whole division of engineering focused on acoustics.  I also know how fun fluid dynamics could be, and so, I'm sure it's way more complicated than just "focusing the sound waves."  I just don't want mean comments.

Anyways, there's a lot that you can do with experimenting with tubes and sound!

What to try at home with your scientist:
*Speak into tubes of various sizes in length: toilet paper tube, paper towel tube, wrapping paper tube.
*Speak into tubes of various materials: paper towel tube, PVC pipe, plastic hosing.
*Speak into tubes of various diameters: PVC pipe would be good for this.  They sell it in varying diameters, and it's super cheap.  Or, maybe you have some lying around from various projects.
*Whisper, talk normally, talk loudly, sing songs, have fun!

Which makes the best amplification sound?
*I'm not telling.  Guess you'll have to experiment.

And for all you Mommies who need a muffler for your kid, Grief Speaks has just the solution: a scream box!**


**Again, we have yet to try this out.  I don't want to suggest anything that could make J squeal louder than he already does.  We're working on inside voices.  Maybe one day we'll try it, but he'll have to use it only outside (even if it muffles his scream).