Sound and Light
01 - Amazing Machines
02 - Air and Space
03 - Human Body
04 - Digital World
05 - Water
06 - Sound and Light
07 - Energy and Electricity
08 - Mother Earth
09 - Nature
10 - Arts
11 - Just Fun
12 - Physics and Mathematics
High quality interactive exhibits
Travel in Vacuum - 06.13
This exhibit shows that sound waves don’t travel in a vacuum.
When the clapper hits the bell, the metal begins vibrating. These vibrations travel through the air. Without the presence of air, no air molecules can be pushed to and fro and thus no sound waves can travel. Light, on the other hand, consists of electromagnetic waves, i.e. electric and magnetic fields arranged in such a fashion as to propagate over large distances. These fields do not need a carrier like sound waves. They can still travel in pure vacuum.
- Push the button to tinkle the bell and to switch on the light.
- Push the button to create a vacuum.
- Push the button to tinkle the bell again and to switch on the light.
- See what happens.