The Coolest Things Sound Waves Do

Summary

This Dnews episode explores the remarkable capabilities of sound, a powerful wave of energy that can be harnessed for various applications. From the audible range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz, sound waves can break glass through resonance and even levitate objects. Recent advancements at ETH Zurich have enabled the manipulation of levitated substances, with potential uses in drug manufacturing. Additionally, sound waves are used in long-range acoustic devices, which can cause physical discomfort at high volumes, and in devices that affect the human body at specific frequencies, demonstrating sound's diverse and impactful presence in technology and science.

Takeaways

• 👂 Sound is a wave that can be perceived by the human ear within the frequency range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz.
• 🎶 Sound waves contain energy that can be harnessed to perform various actions, such as breaking glass or levitating objects.
• 🥂 A glass can be broken by matching its natural frequency and amplifying the sound to a high volume.
• 🔉 Sound levitation is possible within the audible frequency range and has been advanced to allow movement and manipulation of levitated objects.
• 🏫 ETH Zurich researchers have developed a method to not only levitate objects but also move them around using sound wave energy.
• 🧪 Sound levitation technology can be used to manipulate liquids in drug manufacturing without physical contact.
• 🚀 The LRAD (Long-Range Acoustical Device) uses sound waves to produce intense pain without causing death, similar to a sonic weapon.
• 🌌 Ultra low frequencies or ultrasonic sound can cause physical discomfort, such as vision problems and breathing difficulties, when directed at humans.
• 🎯 The resonant frequency of the human eyeball is 19Hz, which can be exploited to cause vision disturbances with sound.
• 🤔 The script invites viewers to consider and discuss their favorite sound inventions and their potential uses, whether for good or evil.

Q & A

What is sound and how do we perceive it?

Sound is a wave that we perceive with our ears. It is made up of invisible waves of energy passing through substances like ground, water, and air.

What is the frequency range of sound that the human ear can perceive?

The human ear can perceive sound waves with frequencies between 20Hz and 20,000Hz.

How does the process of breaking a glass with sound work?

Breaking a glass with sound works when the sound wave matches the exact frequency of the glass. This causes the glass to vibrate at a high amplitude until it shatters.

What is sound levitation and how has it been advanced recently?

Sound levitation is the process of suspending objects in mid-air using sound waves. Recent advances at ETH Zurich have allowed not only levitation but also the manipulation of levitated objects, including moving them around and adjusting floating fluids.

How do standing waves enable sound levitation?

Standing waves are formed when energy waves reflect back and forth so quickly that they create a point of concentrated energy that can hold an object in mid-air, enabling levitation.

What practical applications does sound levitation have in the pharmaceutical industry?

Sound levitation can be used in drug manufacturing to manipulate liquids, such as combining and separating them, without physical contact, reducing contamination risks.

What is an LRAD and how does it use sound?

An LRAD, or long-range acoustical device, is a device that emits high-intensity sound waves. It can produce sound so loud that it causes physical pain without causing permanent harm.

How can sound waves at specific frequencies affect the human body?

Sound waves at certain frequencies, like 19Hz which is the resonant frequency of the human eyeball, can cause vision problems and physical discomfort. Low frequencies can also impact the lungs and skeleton, causing breathing difficulties, nausea, and joint pain.

What is the connection between the resonant frequency of the eyeball and the sound waves used in the 1950s by NASA and the US Navy?

The resonant frequency of the human eyeball is 19Hz. In the 1950s, NASA and the US Navy used devices that produced ultra low frequencies or ultrasonic sound, which at 19Hz could cause vision problems and other physical effects.

What are some of the sound inventions mentioned in the script that could be used for 'EVIL' purposes?

Some sound inventions that could potentially be misused include LRADs, which can cause intense discomfort, and devices that emit specific frequencies to affect the human body, such as causing vision problems or respiratory issues.

What is the significance of the resonant frequency in relation to sound and objects?

The resonant frequency of an object is the frequency at which it naturally vibrates. When sound waves match this frequency, they can cause the object to vibrate intensely, potentially leading to breakage or other effects.

Outlines

00:00

🔊 The Power of Sound Waves

This paragraph introduces the concept of sound as a wave that can be harnessed for various purposes. It explains that sound waves are invisible energy waves that travel through different substances and can be detected by the human ear within a specific frequency range of 20Hz to 20,000Hz. The paragraph also touches on the idea that sound waves can be used to perform incredible feats, such as breaking glass when the sound wave matches the object's frequency. It further discusses the advancements in sound levitation, where objects can be held in mid-air using standing waves, and how this technology is being used in innovative ways, including the manipulation of liquids for drug manufacturing.

Keywords

💡Sound Waves

Sound waves are the invisible, oscillating patterns of pressure that travel through a medium, such as air, water, or ground. They are the foundation of the video's theme, as they are the medium through which sound is perceived and manipulated. In the script, it's mentioned that sound waves are made of 'invisible waves of energy passing through substances,' highlighting their role in transmitting sound.

💡Frequency

Frequency refers to the number of cycles per second of a wave, measured in Hertz (Hz). It is a critical concept in the video, as it determines the pitch of the sound and whether it can be heard by humans. The script specifies that the human ear can perceive frequencies 'between 20Hz and 20,000Hz,' which is the typical range of human hearing.

💡Ultrasound

Ultrasound is a type of sound wave with a frequency higher than the upper audible limit of human hearing. In the context of the video, ultrasound is noted as a significant application of sound waves in medical technology, where it can be used for imaging and therapy without the harmful effects of lower frequencies.

💡Resonance

Resonance occurs when an object naturally vibrates at its resonant frequency, which is the frequency at which it vibrates with the greatest amplitude. The video script uses the example of a wine glass, which can break when the sound wave's frequency matches its resonant frequency, demonstrating the power of sound waves.

💡Sound Levitation

Sound levitation is a phenomenon where objects can be suspended in mid-air using sound waves. The video discusses recent advancements in this field, particularly at ETH Zurich, where researchers have developed a method to not only levitate objects but also move them around. This is achieved by creating a 'standing wave' that can hold an object in place.

💡Standing Wave

A standing wave is a wave pattern that remains in a constant position, formed by the interference of two waves of the same frequency and amplitude moving in opposite directions. In the video, standing waves are used to create points of high energy that can hold objects in mid-air, as seen in the sound levitation experiments.

💡Long-Range Acoustical Devices (LRAD)

LRADs are devices that emit highly concentrated beams of sound waves at high decibel levels. The video describes them as 'sonic hurt rays' that can cause physical discomfort without causing permanent harm, highlighting their use in crowd control and non-lethal defense.

💡Decibels

Decibels (dB) are a unit of measurement used to express the ratio between two values of a physical quantity, often used to measure the intensity of sound. The video mentions 160 decibels as an example of the loudness of LRADs, comparing it to the sound of a NASA rocket launch to illustrate the intensity.

💡Resonant Frequency

The resonant frequency is the frequency at which an object or system naturally vibrates with the greatest amplitude. In the video, the resonant frequency of the human eyeball is mentioned as 19Hz, which, when targeted with sound waves, can cause vision problems and discomfort, demonstrating the sensitivity of biological systems to specific frequencies.

💡Drug Manufacturing

Drug manufacturing is mentioned in the context of using sound levitation for manipulating liquids without physical contact. This is significant as it can lead to more precise and sterile methods of drug production, reducing contamination risks and improving the quality of pharmaceuticals.

Highlights

Sound is a wave that we perceive with our ears, and it's made of invisible waves of energy passing through substances like ground, water, and air.

The human ear can perceive sound waves with frequencies between 20Hz and 20,000Hz.

Sound waves outside our hearing range still contain energy and can be used to do incredible things.

Sound waves can be used to break a glass if they match the object's frequency.

Sound levitation has been around for years, but recent advances allow us to move levitated objects.

ETH Zurich developed technology to levitate and move objects using sound wave energy.

Standing waves, formed by reflecting sound waves, can hold objects in mid-air.

The new system can manipulate liquids without physical contact, beneficial for drug manufacturing.

The LRAD, a long-range acoustical device, can produce sound so loud it causes physical pain.

NASA and the US Navy built a device that uses ultra low frequencies to affect human vision and breathing.

Sound waves can impact the human body, causing nausea and joint pain by vibrating the skeleton.

Sound technology has various applications, from medical to manufacturing and even potential military uses.

Ultrasound is a common medical technology that uses sound waves for imaging and treatment.

The resonant frequency of the human eyeball is 19Hz, which can be exploited to cause vision problems.

Sound waves can be used for non-lethal crowd control with devices like the LRAD.

The potential of sound technology is vast, with applications in various fields including medicine, manufacturing, and security.

Share your thoughts on the sound inventions discussed, such as levitating for drug manufacturing or ultrasound.

Transcripts

Sound is a wave that we perceive with our ears.

It makes our favorite music, and it keeps us out of danger, but it's so much more than

that!

Hey everybody!

Thanks for checking out Dnews today.

I'm Trace.

Now listen up!

Sound is extremely powerful.

It's made of invisible waves of energy passing through

substances -- ground, water, air -- particle to particle.

The human ear can perceive these waves as long as their frequencies are between

20Hz and 20,000Hz.

Anything above or below that, we can't hear but they're

still there because these waves contains energy.

And with enough

ding, you can make these waves do some incredible things.

Outside of medical technology, like ultrasound, one of the most commonly

known ways to make sound do something

is by breaking a glass.

This works only when the sound wave is at the exact same frequency

as the object you're shooting at.

If you gently flick a wine glass with your fingernail, you will hear its frequency.

Match that tone and turn the volume up!

Way way up!

To like a eleven!

And that glass will probably break.

Also within the range of hearing is sound levitation.

This is way cooler than breaking stuff if you ask me.

Sound levitation has been around for years, but until recently,

we couldn't do much with the stuff once it was levitated.

It just hung there in the air.

Thanks to advances at a Swiss University called ETH Zurich,

we can not only levitate stuff, but we can move it around, adjusting floating fluids.

This works by using the energy in the sound waves.

In this apparatus, the energy waves reflect back and forth so quickly,

they form what's called a standing wave or a specific point where the energy

from the sound can hold an object in mid-air.

Think it like these silly executive desk toys.

The ball in the middle, that's the standing wave.

The thing that they just figured out is how to move the stuff once it's levitated.

Now they can use this system to manipulate liquids combining and separating them,

all without touching them with human hands, which is immediately applicable

to drug manufacturers.

That's kinda cool.

These energy waves can do a lot of other stuff too.

The LRAD, or long-range acoustical devices, is a weapon that shoots sound.

It's like a sonic death ray, but without the death part.

It can produce so much sound that you feel physical pain.

Like

160 decibels.

That's loud.

Think NASA rocket launch.

But it won't kill you.

It just really hurts.

Like a sonic hurt ray.

If you combine some those technologies, sound can produce really

strange effects.

In the 1950s, NASA the US Navy built a device

the produces ultra low frequencies or ultrasonic sound.

If you pointed it at a person and set it to 19Hz, people would have

vision problems and get spots and stuff because 19Hz

is the resonant frequency of the human eyeball.

Kinda like that wine glass example we talked about.

If you turn the volume up, people actually would have trouble breathing

because the low frequencies were impacting the lungs like

energy waves.

And if you shot through the ground, your skeleton would vibrate

causing nausea and joint pain.

So which of these sound inventions is your favorite?

The levitating ones for drug

manufacturing, ultrasound or maybe one of the ones that are used for EVIL?

Share your thoughts with us and we'll see you next time on Dnews.