Why Isn't My Sonoluminescence Experiment Working?

In summary, the person is having trouble with their sonoluminescence experiment where they can trap a bubble but cannot get it to glow. They are following a similar procedure as 'The Thought Emporium' and have one transducer at the bottom instead of two on either side of the flask. They have tried using peripheral vision and taking a long exposure photograph to see the glow, but have been unsuccessful. They are now considering using a stereo microscope to view the bubble in the dark. They are looking for advice or if anyone else has successfully done this experiment following this procedure.
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Beekeeper
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I am working on a sonoluminescence experiment and am having trouble with it. The problem is that although I can trap a bubble, I cannot get it to glow.
Hi, I am working on a sonoluminescence experiment and am having trouble with it. The problem is that although I can trap a bubble, I cannot get it to glow.

I am following the same procedure described by 'The Thought Emporium' and you can see a video about it here: .

In a nutshell the procedure is similar to the standard one described here: http://techmind.org/sl/ but rather than having two transducers on either side of the flask, I just have one transducer at the bottom.

Below is a picture of my flask with the trapped bubble. I wonder if anyone else has attempted the experiment following this procedure and been successful or can offer me any advice?

Thanks.

Trapped Bubble in Flask.jpg
 
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  • #2
I remember doing this a long time ago in school and being frustrated by it. Turned out that we did it correctly but we couldn't see it by looking at it directly - we had to use peripheral vision. You could try that, or try taking a long exposure photograph if possible.
 
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Thanks for your reply.

I have been wondering for a while if it was working but simply the glow was too dim to be noticed by the naked eye.

I have tried taking a photo with a long exposure as suggested however have been unsuccessful capturing any glow. Admittedly the camera I am using is not great.

I was thinking to look at the bubble in the dark through a stereo microscope or similar. Anyone tried this or is it a bad idea?
 

1. What is sonoluminescence?

Sonoluminescence is the emission of light from tiny bubbles in a liquid when they are excited by sound waves.

2. How does the sonoluminescence experiment work?

In the experiment, a small bubble is created in a liquid and sound waves are used to compress and expand the bubble rapidly. This causes the bubble to emit light due to the extreme temperatures and pressures created.

3. What is the purpose of the sonoluminescence experiment?

The experiment is used to study the properties of extreme temperatures and pressures, as well as to understand the nature of light emission from excited bubbles.

4. What materials are needed for a sonoluminescence experiment?

The experiment requires a liquid (usually water), a container, a source of sound waves (such as a speaker), and a light detector to measure the emitted light.

5. What are the potential applications of sonoluminescence?

Sonoluminescence has potential applications in fields such as energy production, medical imaging, and materials science. It can also provide insights into the behavior of matter under extreme conditions.

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