PROGRESS OF SOUND.
A stretched string, as that of a piano-forte, may be made to vibrate not only from end to end, but in aliquot parts, the portions being separated by points of rest which interrupted the progress of the sound. This kind of effect may be shown by shaking a long piece of cane in the air, when there will be one, two, or three points of rest, according to the mode of vibrating it.
An elastic surface has, likewise, some parts in motion and others at rest; and these parts may be made visibly distinct, by strewing pieces of bristle over them upon the sounding-board of an instrument.
When a bow is drawn across the strings of a violin, the impulses produced may be rendered evident by fixing a small steel bead upon the bow; when looked at by light or in sunshine, the bead will seem to form a series of dots during the passage of the bow.
SOUND TURNING CORNERS.
Take a common tuning-fork, strike it, and hold it, (when set in vibration,) about three or four inches from the ear, with the flat side towards it, when the sound will be distinctly heard; let a strip of card, somewhat longer than the flat of the tuning-fork, be interposed at about half an inch from the fork, and the sound will be almost entirely intercepted by it; and, if the card be alternately removed and replaced in pretty quick succession, alternations of sound and silence will be produced; proving that sound is by no means propagated with so much intensity round the edge of the card, as straight forward. Indeed, to be convinced of this fact, you have only to listen to the sound of a carriage turning a corner from the street in which you happen to be, into an adjoining one. Even where there is no obstacle in the way, sounds are by no means equally audible in all directions from the sounding body; as you may ascertain, by holding a vibrating tuning-fork or pitch-pipe near your ear, and turning it quickly on its axis.
TO TELL THE DISTANCE OF THUNDER.
Count, by means of a watch, the number of seconds that elapse between seeing the flash of lightning and hearing the report of the thunder; allow somewhat more than five seconds for a mile, and the distance may be ascertained. Thus, say the number of seconds is
| 5) | 20 | |
| — | ||
| 4 | miles distant; |
or the distance may be estimated by remarking the number of beats of the pulse in the above interval; provided, of course, that we know the rate at which the pulse beats in a certain time. In a French work, it is stated that if the pulse beat six times, the distance of the thunder will be about 30,000 feet, or five miles and a half; thus reckoning 5000 feet for each pulsation.