Set up for Tooth Toons Demo
Set up for Tooth Toons Demo

 

Code Number: 3E20.25

Demo Title: Tooth Toons - Human Loudspeaker

Condition: Fair

Principle: Speaker Construction and Sound Reproduction

Area of Study: Oscillations & Acoustics

Equipment: 

Magnets, Copper Coil on the end of a Wooden Dowel, Tape Player, and Plastic Straws.

Procedure:

Place a piece of plastic straw on the wooden dowel and bite down.  Turn the tape player on and bring the magnets close to the coil.  You should be able to hear the sound.

You may be able to hear sound through direct bone conduction.  Place the end of the wooden dowel against the skull bone behind the ear.  Again bring the magnet to the coil and sound should be heard.  You may need to move the dowel around to find the best conduction point.

References:

  • Tom Senior, "Head Noises", TPT, Vol. 38, #1, Jan. 2000, p. 30.
  • Nicole Lou, "Listen To Records With Your Teeth", Popular Science, Vol. 288, #2, Mar/Apr. 2016, p. 86.
  • "W-425. Bite-a-Phone", DICK and RAE Physics Demo Notebook.
  • Don Rathjen and Paul Doherty, "Sound Bite", Square Wheels, 2002, p. 105.
  • Robert L. Wild, "Audio Coil Detector", Low-Cost Physics Demonstrations, #151, p. 88.
  • Sara Stein, "A Humming Skull and Other Ways To Hear Better", The Science Book, p. 181.