Can Humming in a Bathroom Stall Cause Resonance?

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SUMMARY

Humming in a bathroom stall can produce significant resonance effects due to the stall's dimensions and materials. Participants in the discussion noted that hitting the resonant frequency can amplify sound, creating a loud hum with minimal vocal effort. The phenomenon is related to room modes, which are most pronounced in rectangular spaces with hard surfaces. Future experiments are planned to explore this further using an audio generator to identify resonant frequencies.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of room acoustics and resonance
  • Familiarity with room modes and their prediction
  • Basic knowledge of sound frequency and vibration
  • Experience with audio generation tools
NEXT STEPS
  • Research "room modes" and their mathematical equations
  • Explore audio generation techniques using software like Audacity
  • Investigate the effects of different materials on sound resonance
  • Conduct experiments on sound amplification in various room shapes
USEFUL FOR

Acoustic engineers, sound designers, musicians, and anyone interested in exploring the effects of resonance in enclosed spaces.

sammyb787
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The other day, I was in a bathroom stall doing my business, and I randomly started humming some song (can't remember exactly what it was). Well it just so happened that I hit the resonant frequency of that stall. Talk about a surprise! I could make a very quite sound with my mouth closed, and if I hit just the right frequency the stall practically started throbbing. Just the very quite vibration of my throat would make the stall utter a loud hum. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever noticed this. I have plans for future tests. I'm going to build some kind of audio generator that I can adjust the frequency of until I hit resonance, and see if I can knock the stall down. :smile: Anyway the next time you get a chance try this. I'm sure you and the person in the next stall will get a kick out of it.
 
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these are called room modes and they are most prevalent in rectangular shaped rooms with smooth and hard surfaces. you can predict what frequencies are the room modes. when i get back to this, i'll post the equations or point to a website with it. try Googling "room mode" or "room modes".
 
sammyb787 said:
Anyway the next time you get a chance try this. I'm sure you and the person in the next stall will get a kick out of it.
Just don't make any hand signals under the divider or tap him on the foot. :smile:
 
Tesla claimed to have created an earthquake machine that vibrated at a rooms resonant frequency. He claimed to have destroyed his lab and caused results from the fire department.

Incidentally, all of his neighbors believed it was an earthquake.

Please tell me how ur attempt at knocking down the stall goes :smile:.
 
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I once noticed the same thing about a hallway in the huose ni which I grew up. If I clapped my hands, it sent back several diffeernt pitches. If I listened carefully to those pitches, selected one, and hummed it, the hallway would hum back with just that one pitch. At other notes, the place sounded completely dead.

Bedframes are good for this, also.
 
turbo-1 said:
Just don't make any hand signals under the divider or tap him on the foot. :smile:
The distinguished Gentleman has just entered the chamber.
 
A while back when I used to inspect large 20,000L stainless steel chemical storage/hauling containers. I would go in and do an internal inpection and while I was at it, if I hit just the right hum in my throat it would be deafening with very little use of my vocal cords at all.

Jim
 

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