The Science of Music:
Water Glass Science

     Did you know that music is a science?  Yes, it’s true.  Help your kids understand the science of music with this fun project.  The project involved water and sound.  Here is what you need to get started:

Several Glasses
Water
A spoon or two

     Fill the glasses with different levels of water.  Then have your child tap each glass.  Ask them if the different glasses make different sounds?  Ask them if they notice which sound is higher pitched and which has a lower pitch? 

     Discuss why the water levels make a difference in the sound.  The different water levels will result in different pitched sounds.  The lower pitches will occur with less water is in the glass.  The reason is that there is more of the glass available to vibrate and therefore create bigger sound waves.  The bigger the sound wave the lower the pitch will be.  The more water the higher the pitch due to the smaller vibrations in the glass.  Assist children in creating their own song with the different pitches.  This can be a fun experience for your child and can teach them a lot about music and sound.