Table Tap-A-Pallooza

This is an easy sound experiment.

1. Sit at a table.
2. Tap on the table, lightly. What do you hear?
3. Okay. Now: put your head down on the table, so that your ear is flat against the surface of the table.
4. NOW tap on the table, about 12 inches away from your ear. Tap as lightly as you did before. What do you hear NOW?

The sound will be MUCH LOUDER when you have your ear against the table.

WHY?

Because sound travels in waves - but not only through air. Sound waves travel through water (liquid), and also through solids - like the wood on a table top. In fact, sound travels BETTER through wood than it does through air because the molecules in wood are CLOSER TOGETHER than the molecules in air.