This is What Sound Looks Like

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what-sounds-looks-like

Adam Cole is the science fanatic behind NPR’s popular science blog Skunk Bear. In a recent post, Cole wondered if he could use a technique known as Schlieren Flow Visualization to see sound.

The answer was a resounding YES! And the video below shows the fascinating results. Also included: a diagram of how Schlieren Flow Visualization works and animated gifs (from the video) that show what different sounds look like.

[via Skunk Bear]

How the Schlieren Flow Visualization Works

how schlieren flow visualization works

Seeing Sound with Animated Gifs

Clapping Hands

what the sound of a clap looks like

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

A Firecracker

cracker

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

A Falling Book

seeing sound of falling book

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

Whipping a Frayed Towel

towel1

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

A Speaker (10Hz tone over 100 decibels)

what speaker sound looks like

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

A Gunshot (bullet faster than speed of sound!)

seeing sound

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

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