Chladni Plates

From UO Physics Demonstration Catalog

Return to Oscillations

Chladni Plates.gif

Description:

The Chladni plate consists of a flat sheet of metal, usually circular or square, mounted on a central stalk to a sturdy base. When the plate is driven with a violin bow, oscillations are set-up in a particular mode of vibration, the nodes and antinodes that are set up form complex but symmetrical patterns over its surface. The positions of these nodes and antinodes can be seen by sprinkling sand upon the plates; the sand will vibrate away from the antinodes and gather at the nodes. Variations with bow can create different frequencies and patterns,

There is another set of plates that are driven with a speaker type driver attached to the center of the plate. The driven is controlled with a signal generatore. Different frequencies will create different patterns.

Location:

  • Driven with Bow: Shelf C-4
  • Apparatus Driven with Speaker Type Driver: Shelf C-1
  • Speaker Type Driver Shelf D-3