In their House of Sound Fran Scott and Greg Foot investigate how sound is made and how we hear it.
They explain that sound is caused by vibration. If an object vibrates the air particles called molecules close to it vibrate. This makes the molecules next to them vibrate and so on, forming a sound wave. If the sound wave reaches our ears and our brains then we hear the sound.
They also explain that sound needs something called a medium to travel through, and Fran repeats a famous experiment by a scientist called Robert Boyle who demonstrated that air is a medium
through which sounds travel by putting a ringing bell in a jar, taking out all the air from the jar to create a vacuum, whereupon the bell fell silent.
Using 3D animation Greg takes us on a guided tour of the human ear, pointing out the key components called the eardrum, hammer, anvil, stirrup, cochlea, and auditory nerve.
Finally, Fran makes a giant human ear out of everyday things to show how these components work.
House of Sound
If you haven't visited the House of Sound yet, why not go through its front door and find out what’s inside?
Nothing less than the science of sound, music and musical instruments in a series of five short fun videos!
Fran Scott and Greg Foot will explore how sound is made and how we hear it, and how stringed, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments make their different sounds.
And each video ends by showing you how to easily make an instrument from things you’ll find in your own house!
House of Sound