May 7, 2014 at 1:16 pm

This is What Sound Looks Like

by twistedsifter

what sounds looks like This is What Sound 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 This is What Sound Looks Like

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

 

A Falling Book

seeing sound of falling book

Schlieren images by Mike Hargather

 

Whipping a Frayed Towel

towel1 This is What Sound Looks Like

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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