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  1. Oscillations and Waves
  2. Instruments
  3. Resonance in Plates, Bars, Solids
  4. 30

Chladni's disc: Bowed disk forms patterns in sprinkled salt.

3D40.30 • B+55+5

diagram for demo

Chladni's Figures : Vibrational modes of a metal plate. Salt or sand sprinkled on metal plate. Various patterns can be produced: with 4, 6,8,10,12 or 14 rays... For best results, pinch one part of the rim of the plate, then 'saw' the bow with an even vertical motion on another part of the rim.

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Related Demos


  1. PIRA
  2. 3D40
  3. Resonance in Plates, Bars, Solids
3D40.10 Xylophone. 3D40.20 Longitudinal wave apparatus: Ball bounces off end of stroked rod. 3D40.31 Chladni's Figures: Vibrational modes of a metal plate 3D40.51 Large glass bowl with ping pong balls and violin bow. 3D40.55 Beaker is broken by sound from speaker.
  1. UCB
  2. B+55
  3. Vibrational Modes
B+55+0 Film loop: "Vibrations of a metal plate", 3:45 min. B+55+1 Film loop: "Vibrations of a drum", 3:25 min. B+55+7 Chladni's Figures: Vibrational modes of a metal plate B+55+10 Large glass bowl with ping pong balls and violin bow. B+55+15 Young's modulus rod: Hammer and rod with nodes marked. B+55+20 Longitudinal wave apparatus: Ball bounces off end of stroked rod. B+55+25 Kundt's tube: Powder in tube shows standing waves. B+55+30 Applet: Vibrational Modes of a Circular Membrane B+55+35 Applet: Hotel webcam of pool during California Eartquake 2010 B+55+40 Applet: Vibrational Modes of a Rectangular Membrane
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