Question

Make a pan flute using straws to understand the difference in pitch of sound waves due to differences in length. For this activity, acquire 9 to 10 straws. Place them on a table side by side. Then, tape them together and cut the straws at an angle from the top to form the pan flute. The straws should be cut such that it looks similar to the wooden pan flute shown in the figure. Now, blow through every straw and observe the difference in pitch.

Answer 1

Observation: When the pan flute is blown, the shorter straws produce higher-pitched (shriller) sounds, while the longer straws produce lower-pitched (deeper) sounds.

Conclusion: The pitch of a sound depends on the length of the vibrating air column. Shorter air columns vibrate at higher frequencies and produce high-pitched sounds, whereas longer air columns vibrate at lower frequencies and produce low-pitched sounds.