This is a picture of the bells in the bell tower at UC Berkley. I visited Berkley with my family over the summer and we went up the bell tower, there was an awesome view and the bells were really cool too.

Each bell in this elaborate contraption has its own pitch and when played together music is made. When the thing inside the bell is pulled by the strings connecting to it, it hits the side of the bell, producing a vibration. The whole bell vibrates and those vibrations go off into the air, making noise!

The faster the thing hits the side of the bell, the higher the frequency of vibrations. As frequency increases, wavelength decreases. Wave speed is dependent upon the medium the sound wave are traveling through. 

When two waves meet their interaction is called the principle of superposition. The waves pass through each other, but as they meet, the briefly combine. If the crests of the waves match, the add to each other and form a super crest, same with the troughs, but if the crests are opposite then the crest of one wave the the trough of the other subtract from each other and if the waves are identical but 180 degrees out of phase then the waves will cancel each other and you will not be able to see the wave in its medium. 

Aaarrhgg ye matey! Thar be some good physics!

The Iolani water polo team went to California to play over spring break. On our one day not playing polo we went to Disneyland. This is a picture of a pirate band on the street. 

Vibrations create waves and those waves carry energy and information. When the pirates play the keys of their piano thing and violin, they are creating vibrations in the keys and strings of their instruments. The vibrations of the strings in their instruments create sound waves that move through the air. However, the sound created by these waves is much to soft to hear, unless your ear is right next to the strings, especially in the loud environment of Disneyland. So, the body of the violin and the piano thing are there to amplify the sound. The vibrations of the strings cause the bodies of the instruments to vibrate, thereby increasing the vibrating surface area that is in contact with the air, so more waves are being created and everyone can hear! Aarrgh! That be sounding like good physics to me!