Kinetic energy transfer with a drum and drumsticks

Description:

This experiment shows the concept of energy transfer, how kinetic energy can be transferred from one object to another. While a “drum” and “drum sticks” are required below, this experiment can actually be done with any drum-like and drumstick-like objects. A big inverted tupperware container and two big wooden spoons, for example, will work fine.

Equipment needed:

A drum

Two drumsticks

The Digital Bits Science Lab Experiment:

Use the drumsticks and whack the drum a few times to get a feel for the sound and amount of force needed to get a good drum noise.

Next take both drumsticks, and hit them together. Listen to what kind of sound it makes when one drumstick hits the other one.

Then hold one drumstick in each hand. Place one drumstick on the surface of the drum. Hold the other stick above the drum:

Keeping the end of the lower drumstick on the drum surface, bring the upper drumstick down and strike the center of the lower drumstick.

What happens? It sounds like you’ve just hit the drum, even though you’ve only hit one drumstick with another!

This experiment is an example of the transfer of kineitc energy. When the upper drumstick hits the lower drumstick, the energy from that hit moves from one drumstick to the other. This happens because the sticks themselves are touching. (Kinetic energy moves easily through small solid objects like the drumsticks.) But the lower stick is also touching the drum. So when the upper stick hits the bottom stick, the energy keeps moving: It flows from one drumstick into the next, then from the second drumstick into the drum.

Other articles related to this topic:

• Energy transfer experiment and super-ball-bouncing
• Learn the basics of static electricity and electron transfer
• Use a squeaky balloon to teach about air pressure, vocal cords and sound waves
• Learn about air pressure with a piece of paper
• Demonstration of surface tension