When working on an oral history project, my brother recommended that I download a free audio recording and editing program called Audacity®. I have since discovered that it is a fantastic tool for students to visualize sound waves and to understand the meaning of amplitude, frequency, and superposition. This paper describes a collection of demonstrations, most of which require only a computer, a set of speakers, and a projector.

Topics
Acoustic waves, Educational aids, Teaching
1.
Audacity® software is copyright © 1999–2010 Audacity Team; audacity.sourceforge.net/. It is free software distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License. The name Audacity® is a registered trademark of Dominic Mazzoni.
2.
P. Vitello, “A Ring Tone Meant to Fall on Deaf Ears,” The New York Times, June 12, 2006; www.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/technology/12ring.html.
3.
www.thefreesite.com/Free_Sounds/Free_WAVs/.
4.
Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories, Hand‐Held Laser Show Apparatus, Cat. # WW46886MOO, $29.99 (laser pointer not included); sciencekit.com.
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2011 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2011
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to The Physics Teacher and the American Journal of Physics as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.