Can Sound Waves Make Objects Hover?

[kaffe]

Hi! I am new. Please call me Kaffe.

I am a theologian of the Extraterrestrial Presence and my studies have led me to Physics and the Science of Frequency and Vibration. I have been thinking about developing a project over the summer to see if I can get an object to hover using intense shock waves/sound waves.

I am not a physics major but the above has led me to go into the the field of physics... alas, I am a graphic design major and studio art minor :D

Anyway, at one point in my life I have seen an object being hit (preferably like a cymbal) and the vibrations make it move up and down... is this accurate? How is this created... the intensity of the shock waves from the object hitting another object? Could it be possible to have a repelling electromagnetic field and with a wavering object to keep it steady? Thoughts?

Please excuse my lack of knowledge in physics... only trying to understand possibilities.
Thanks!

 

[russ_watters]

Well, you can probably get an object to appear to levitate on top of a vibrating object, but really the object will be hitting it to push it into the air. Try turning a big speaker on its side and dropping small objects (rice, perhaps) onto the cone of the speaker driver.

 

[AJ Bentley]

The problem with any kind of vibration (sound, light, radio waves, microwaves - even Brownian motion) is that it's two way. Things shake from side-to-side or up-down.
They never go up-up-up-up, which is what you need.

But then, I'm only a human, I wouldn't know would I?

 

[jmatejka]

I would say, good for you, for coming here.

An open mind is a good thing, learn all you can from this site, and form your own opinions on such "speculative" technology.