The Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature and the Arts, July-December, 1827Various
Science
The Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature and the Arts, July-December, 1827
Various
Arts -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals; Technology -- Periodicals
1. If a bell be rung in a vessel of water, and the point of the
microphone be placed in the water at different distances from the
bell, the differences of intensity will be very sensible. 2. If
the point of the microphone be applied to the sides of a vessel
containing a boiling liquid, or if it be placed in the liquid itself,
the various sounds which are rendered may be heard very distinctly.
3. The instrument affords a means of ascertaining, with considerable
accuracy, the points of a sonorous body at which the intensity of
vibration is the greatest or least; thus, placing its point on
different parts of the sounding board of a violin or guitar, whilst
one of its strings is in vibration, the points of greatest and least
vibration are easily distinguished. 4. If the stem of a sounding
tuning-fork be brought in contact with any part of the microphone,
and at the same time a musical sound be produced by the voice, the
most uninitiated ear [p071] will be able to perceive the consonance
or dissonance of the two sounds; the roughness of discords, and the
beatings of imperfect consonances, are thereby rendered so extremely
disagreeable, and form so evident a contrast to the agreeable
harmony and smoothness of two perfectly consonant sounds, that it is
impossible that they can be confounded.
§ 3.
Apply the broad sides of two sounding tuning-forks, both being
unisons, to the same ear; on removing one fork to the opposite ear,
allowing the other to remain, the sensation will be considerably
augmented.
It is well known, that when two consonant sounds are heard together,
a third sound results from the coincidences of their vibrations;
and that this third sound, which is called the grave harmonic, is
always equal to unity, when the two primitive sounds are represented
by the lowest integral numbers. This being premised, select two
tuning-forks, the sounds of which differ by any consonant interval
excepting the octave; place the broad sides of their branches, while
in vibration, close to one ear, in such a manner that they shall
nearly touch at the acoustic axis, the resulting grave harmonic will
then be strongly audible, combined with the two other sounds; place
afterwards one fork to each ear, and the consonance will be heard
much richer in volume, but no audible indications whatever of the
third sound will be perceived.
§ 4.
Very acute sounds, such as the chirping of the gryllus campestris,
&c., are rendered inaudible by exhausting the air from the Eustachian
tube, and thereby producing a tension of the membrane of the
tympanum; the different thicknesses or tensions of this membrane
may therefore occasion that diversity of the limits of audibility,
with regard to the acute sounds which Dr. Wollaston has pointed out
as existing in different individuals; if so, it would be desirable
to ascertain this limit in individuals in whom the tympanum is
perforated, or destroyed.
§ 5.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account