Concepts

Resonance in a pipe, overtones.

Overview

A whirly tube (a tube of corrugated plastic, also known as a corruga tube) is whirled in circles at different speeds producing resonance at different pitches, along with overtones.

Details

Equipment

• [1] Whirly tube 

Important Notes

• Details of the whirly tube can't be seen in a large lecture hall, but the sound can be clearly heard.
• The pitch emitted by the whirly tube depends on how quickly you whirl it. Pitch does not increase linearly, but jumps by discrete intervals.
• If you practice in advance, you can play "Taps," a song played at military funerals.

Script

1. Hold the whirly tube at one end and whirl it in a circle.
2. Adjust your whirl speed to adjust the pitch emitted.

Additional Resources