Natural frequency of a wine glass

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the natural frequency of empty wine glasses and the feasibility of breaking one using sound waves. Participants emphasize that each wine glass has a unique resonant frequency, making it difficult to generalize. To determine the frequency, one can either ping the glass and listen or use a microphone and oscilloscope for precise measurement. For the experiment, a signal generator and amplifier are essential, with recommendations for using a high-quality tweeter to achieve maximum amplitude. It is noted that cheaper glasses may have a wider frequency range, making them less likely to break. The cost of suitable glasses is estimated to be around £30-£40 ($50-$60), with lead crystal being preferred for its resonance properties.
sniffer
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Does anybody know the typical natural frequency of an empty wine glass?
I want to conduct a demo experiment of breaking a wine glass with
a sound wave from a distance. Has anyone here done it before?

I need a signal generator (sine wave) and an amplifier. What kind of
loudspeaker do I have to use? What frequency?

Thanks.
 
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Ping the wine glass with your finger. The note you hear will be the resonant frequency. Either measure it with a microphone and a-silly-scope, or just compare it with a known note on a piano or guitar or something.
 
sniffer said:
Does anybody know the typical natural frequency of an empty wine glass?
No such thing as a "typical" wine glass frequency. Each glass will be different.
I want to conduct a demo experiment of breaking a wine glass with
a sound wave from a distance. Has anyone here done it before?
I've played around with making wine glasses sound by running a wet finger around the rim. This is what you need to do to find the natural frequency of the glass in question.
I need a signal generator (sine wave) and an amplifier. What kind of loudspeaker do I have to use? What frequency?
The only way to find the frequency you need is to start off as close to the pitch of the glass as you can and then fine tune your generated signal. Wine glasses are high pitched, so I'd say use the best tweeter you have available. In general design your system for maximum amplitude.
 
Also, you can't do this with cheap wine glasses as these have a wider frequency range at which they will resonate, leading to a smaller amplitude when they do - they are therefore reluctant to break unless a very high amplitude signal is applied to them.

You are looking at £30 - £40 a glass ($50 - $60) from what I have been told by someone who pursued this...

Maybe they told me wrong??
 
Yeah, this site says lead crystal glass is best:

Can a very high-pitched scream really shatter glass?
Address:http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20011212.html

Other glass is too soft by comparison.
 
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