Activity Detail
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Forensics Case 3
Name That Tune: Matching musical tones through waveform analysis
 


Activity Overview

In this activity, students analyze sound waves to calculate the frequency or pitch of musical notes. They use a Microphone to detect the waveform of a musical note. Students calculate the frequency of a musical note from the period of its waveform and use this knowledge to identify the musical notes that make up the combination to a safe.

Before the Activity

  • Use TI Connect™ to download Vernier EasyData™ application
  • Attach the microphone to channel 1of the CBL 2™
  • Connect the CBL 2 to the calculator using the unit to unit cable
  • See the attached PDF file for detailed instructions for this activity
  • Print pages 20 - 26 from the attached PDF file for your class
  • Print sample data and student work pages

    		•

    		During the Activity

    		Distribute the pages to your class.

    Follow the Activity procedures:
  • Strike each tuning fork with the soft hammer
  • Hold the Microphone about 1 cm from the space between the prongs
  • Analyze the waveform that displays
  • Calculate the period and the frequency (or pitch) of the note
  • Repeat with other tuning forks
  • Calculate the period and frequency of each of the notes on the waveforms of the notes taken from the suspected thief?s computer hard drive handout
  • Compare the frequencies in the Evidence Record to the frequencies on suspect?s computer hard drive
  • Determine the combination of notes that was stored on the hard drive

    		After the Activity

    		Students analyze the results and answer the Case analysis questions.

    Review student results:
  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary

    		Other Downloads




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    Subject Area:
    Science : Forensics : Data Analysis
    Math : Precalculus / Trig : Trigonometric Functions
    Math : Algebra II : Trigonometric Functions

    Author:
    Texas Instruments

    Level:
    9-12

    Activity Time:
    60 Minutes

    Device:
    TI-83 Plus Family, TI-84 Plus Family

    Apps:
     

    Software:
     

    Accessories:
    Sensor - Microphone, TI Connectivity Cable, Unit-to-Unit link cables

    Other:
    This is Activity 3 from the EXPLORATIONS Book:
    <Forensics: Connecting Science Investigations with TI Data Collection Activities.

    The following materials are required for this activity:

  • Vernier microphone
  • 6 tuning forks of different frequencies
  • Soft tuning-fork hammer


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