ClassX Video Lessons Why Does Your Voice Get Higher When You Inhale Helium? – Big Questions (Ep. 11)
Hey there! I’m Craig, and today we’re diving into a fun science question: Why does your voice sound higher when you inhale helium? Let’s explore this interesting topic together!
First, let’s talk about sound. Sound is created by vibrations that travel through the air as sound waves. These waves move at different speeds depending on what they’re traveling through. The speed of sound is how fast these waves move, and the frequency is how often the particles vibrate as the wave passes through. Frequency is important because it affects the pitch, or how high or low a sound is.
When we speak, our vocal cords, which are two stretchy membranes in our throat, vibrate to create sound. Air from our lungs passes through these vocal cords, making them vibrate. The frequency of these vibrations determines the pitch and volume of our voice. The sound then travels through our vocal tract, which includes our throat, mouth, and nose. This journey affects the timbre, or the unique quality, of our voice.
Now, let’s talk about helium. Helium is a gas that’s much lighter than the air we usually breathe, which is made up of oxygen and nitrogen. Because helium is less dense, sound waves travel through it much faster than they do through regular air.
When you inhale helium and speak, the frequency of your vocal cords doesn’t change, so the pitch of your voice stays the same. However, the helium changes the way sound waves move through your vocal tract, affecting the timbre of your voice. This is why your voice sounds funny and higher, even though the pitch hasn’t actually changed.
It’s important to remember that inhaling helium can be dangerous. It can lead to a lack of oxygen, which is very serious. So, it’s best not to try this at home or anywhere else. There are other gases, like xenon or sulfur hexafluoride, that can make your voice sound deeper, but they’re not easy to find and should also be used with caution.
Thanks for joining me on this science adventure! If you have more big questions, feel free to ask. See you next time!
Hey there! Let’s explore how sound waves work. Use a slinky to demonstrate how sound waves travel. Stretch the slinky between two people and create waves by moving one end. Notice how the waves move faster or slower depending on how tightly the slinky is stretched. Discuss how this relates to sound traveling through different gases.
Create a simple model of vocal cords using rubber bands and a small box. Stretch the rubber bands across the open top of the box and pluck them to produce sound. Experiment with different tensions and lengths to see how they affect the pitch. Relate this to how your vocal cords work when you speak.
Use a computer simulation to explore how sound travels through different gases. Find an online tool that allows you to change the medium through which sound travels. Observe how the speed of sound changes with helium compared to air, and discuss why this affects the timbre of your voice.
Record your voice using a smartphone or computer. Then, use audio editing software to change the pitch and timbre. Notice how changing the pitch affects the sound compared to changing the timbre. Discuss how helium affects the timbre but not the pitch of your voice.
Have a class discussion about the safety concerns of inhaling gases like helium. Research and present why it’s important to avoid inhaling helium and other gases. Discuss alternative ways to explore sound without risking your health.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi, I’m Craig. My vocal cords are made up of two vibrating mucous membranes, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, I’m going to answer Bridget Klein’s big question: Why does your voice get higher when you inhale helium?
Let’s get started! First, let’s do a refresher on sound. I’m sure you remember this from your science classes, so this will be a crash course version. We hear sound thanks to vibrations that travel through air, forming sound waves.
The speed of sound is how fast these sound waves travel, and it depends on the medium they are moving through. Sound frequency is how often the particles of that medium vibrate as the wave travels through it. Frequency affects the pitch of a sound.
When we speak, we produce vibrations with our vocal cords, which are two vibrating mucous membranes stretched across the larynx. Air travels from your lungs to your larynx, causing the mucous membranes to vibrate. The frequency of this vibration affects the pitch and volume of your voice. Then, the sound travels through your vocal tract, which includes your throat, mouth, and nasal cavities. Here, air vibrates, affecting your voice’s timbre, which is the sound’s character and quality.
Now, let’s talk about helium. The speed of sound in helium is three times faster than in air because helium atoms have a lower mass than oxygen and nitrogen atoms. Helium is less dense than air, which allows its atoms to move quicker and carry sound faster.
When you inhale helium and talk, the frequency of your vocal cords remains the same, so the pitch of your voice stays the same. However, the helium alters the sound waves in your vocal tract, affecting the timbre of your voice, not the pitch, as many people believe.
It’s important to note that inhaling helium can be dangerous and may lead to asphyxiation, which has occurred before. I do not recommend trying this at home or in public places. That said, you can reverse this phenomenon by inhaling denser gases, like xenon or sulfur hexafluoride, although those are not commonly available.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube! If you have a big question you would like answered, leave it in the comments below. See you next week!
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This version removes any potentially sensitive or alarming content while maintaining the educational essence of the original transcript.
Sound – Vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person’s or animal’s ear. – Example sentence: The sound of the bell ringing echoed through the school hallway.
Waves – Disturbances that transfer energy from one place to another, often seen in the context of sound or light. – Example sentence: Sound waves travel through the air and allow us to hear music.
Frequency – The number of waves that pass a point in one second, measured in hertz (Hz). – Example sentence: The frequency of a sound wave determines whether we hear a high or low pitch.
Pitch – The quality of a sound determined by the frequency of the sound waves, perceived as how high or low a sound is. – Example sentence: A violin can produce a higher pitch than a cello because it has shorter strings.
Helium – A light, colorless gas that is less dense than air and often used in balloons. – Example sentence: When you fill a balloon with helium, it floats because helium is lighter than air.
Vocal – Relating to the voice or the production of sound using the vocal cords. – Example sentence: Singers use their vocal cords to produce different notes and sounds.
Cords – In the context of vocal cords, they are bands of muscle in the throat that vibrate to produce sound. – Example sentence: The vocal cords vibrate to create the sounds we use for speaking and singing.
Air – The invisible mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth and is essential for breathing and sound transmission. – Example sentence: Sound travels faster through air than through water because air is less dense.
Timbre – The quality or color of a sound that makes it distinct from other sounds, even if they have the same pitch and loudness. – Example sentence: The timbre of a flute is different from that of a trumpet, even if they play the same note.
Gas – A state of matter consisting of particles that have neither a defined volume nor shape, like air or helium. – Example sentence: When water boils, it turns into steam, which is a gas.
