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Show your inner engineer
Show your inner engineer and put a lid on sound
- Secondary 3
30–60 minutes
An engineering design challenge in which students build a prototype soundproof studio designed to reduce the noise from a cell phone placed inside. They’ll learn the principles of soundproofing by testing a variety of materials and measuring how effectively each one reduces noise levels.
Physical principles covered
- Sound waves
- Propagation of sound
- Decibels
- Acoustic properties of materials
- Sound absorption and insulation
Required Materials
- Cardboard box
- Smartphone with Sound Meter app installed (for measuring decibels)
- Smartphone to emit a continuous white noise
- Various materials (foam, felt, aluminum, wood, egg cartons, wadding, etc.)
- Blue adhesive putty
- Clips
Concepts from the Québec Education Program
Science and Technology – The material world:
- Sound waves and decibels
- Properties of materials
- Using measuring instruments
- Designing a technological system