Tesla Coil Plasma: Can It Make Music?

AI Thread Summary
Tesla coils can indeed produce sound by firing at high frequencies, a concept popularized in movies like The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Using a solid-state driver allows for the generation of musical notes by chopping the drive frequency, preventing overheating. Some companies have developed 'plasma speakers' that utilize this principle, although the sound quality is generally poor. The discussion highlights the feasibility of creating music with Tesla coils, despite the limitations in audio fidelity. Overall, the idea merges science with entertainment, showcasing the unique capabilities of Tesla technology.
RandallLanier
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Okay, now I realize that this is from sci-fi, but I'm just wondering if it's possible to do this. In the movie, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, the guy uses Tesla coils to "make music." He said that when they fired, the did so at such a high frequency that it made sound. Is this possible?
 
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Yeah, it's dead easy. In fact using a solid state driver you inevitably get a musical note out of it because you 'chop' the drive at some frequency to avoid overheating the output stages.
There's even a couple of companies that market what they call a 'plasma speaker' that uses the same principle. (It's a pretty lousy sound though)
 
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It may be shown from the equations of electromagnetism, by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860’s, that the speed of light in the vacuum of free space is related to electric permittivity (ϵ) and magnetic permeability (μ) by the equation: c=1/√( μ ϵ ) . This value is a constant for the vacuum of free space and is independent of the motion of the observer. It was this fact, in part, that led Albert Einstein to Special Relativity.
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