| Ernst Chladni's Plate | |
|---|---|
| |
|
Origin |
Ernst Chladni |
|
Type |
Vibrational Plate |
|
Effects |
Replaces sense of physical touch with vibrations |
|
Downsides |
Revolves dust particles and micrometeorites around user |
|
Activation |
Coating in particle matter while playing music |
|
Collected by |
Warehouse 12 |
|
Section |
|
|
Aisle |
648940-2465 |
|
Shelf |
742765-4227-481 |
|
Date of Collection |
May 13, 1874 |
| [Source] | |
Origin[]
Ernst Chladni (30 November 1756 – 3 April 1827) was a German physicist and musician. His most important work, for which he is sometimes labeled as the father of acoustics, included research on vibrating plates and the calculation of the speed of sound for different gases. He also undertook pioneering work in the study of meteorites and is regarded by some as the father of meteoritics.
One of Chladni's best-known achievements was inventing a technique to show the various modes of vibration on a rigid surface, known as Chladni figures or Chladni patterns due to the various shapes or patterns created by various modes. When resonating, a plate or membrane is divided into regions that vibrate in opposite directions, bounded by lines where no vibration occurs (nodal lines). Chladni's technique consisted of drawing a bow over a piece of metal whose surface was lightly covered with sand. The plate was bowed until it reached resonance, when the vibration causes the sand to move and concentrate along the nodal lines where the surface is still, outlining the nodal lines.
Variations of this technique are still commonly used in the design and construction of acoustic instruments such as violins, guitars, and cellos. Since the 20th century, it has become more common to place a loudspeaker driven by an electronic signal generator over or under the plate to achieve a more accurate adjustable frequency. In quantum mechanics, Chladni figures ("nodal patterns") are known to be related to the solutions of the Schrödinger equation for one-electron atoms, and the mathematics describing them was used by Erwin Schrödinger to arrive at the understanding of electron orbitals.
Chladni became interested in meteoritics following a conversation he had with Georg Christoph Lichtenberg about a fireball Lichtenberg supposedly saw in the Gӧttingen sky in November 1791. He hypothesized that these meteorites were chunks of material that had either never been consolidated in the formation of larger masses or were debris from the formation and destruction of planets. Additionally, his claims challenged the established belief that nothing existed beyond the moon except for other stars and planets. Indeed, this supposed emptiness of space had fascinated Chladni as a child when he learned about the relatively large distance between Mars and Jupiter, where the Asteroid Belt is now known to exist. This observation factored into his account for the origins of meteorites.
Effects[]
Replaces sense of physical touch and hearing with vibrational awareness. They will be unable to understand pressure, temperature and texture the same way as before. Interpreting each becomes like sensing a greater degree of pitch, harmonics and tone at once. Regular sounds like speaking or music will remain normal, and extreme vibrations such as crashes can extreme physical discomfort.
Forms moderate amounts of dust buildup around the user. Small particles will revolve around the user and some will clump together to form larger sized bits visible to the naked eye. Dust production will not interfere with the vibration detection, just buildup in the eyes and nose.