MUSIC AND PHYSICS
PRESSURE
IN PHYSICS, PRESSURE IS FORCE PER UNIT AREA. THE UNIT FOR PRESSURE IS A PASCAL WHICH IS A NEWTON PER SQUARE METER. THE EQUATION TO FINDING PRESSURE IS P=F/A, OR FORCE DIVIDED BY AREA. WHEN APPLYING FORCE TO A MUCH SMALLER AREA, THE PRESSURE WILL BE MUCH GREATER BECAUSE THE FORCE IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE AREA.
EXAMPLES IN MUSIC
THE BEST EXAMPLE OF PRESSURE IN MUSIC IS WITH DRUMS. WHEN USING A DRUM KIT, DRUMSTICKS ARE NECESSARY TO PERFORM. WHEN YOU USE A DRUM STICK, YOU ARE HITTING THE DRUM HEAD WITH A FORCE OVER A CERTAIN AREA, THEREFORE CAUSING PRESSURE TO OCCUR.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. THE TENOR DRUM MALLETS ON THE LEFT AND THE STANDARD DRUMSTICKS ON THE RIGHT BOTH HAVE A FORCE OF 100 N. WHICH HAS A GREATER PRESSURE AND WHY? REMEMBER HOW AREA EFFECTS THE PRESSURE.
A: THE STANDARD DRUMSTICKS BECAUSE THEY COVER A SMALLER AREA THAN THE DRUM MALLETS.
2. IF YOU WANTED THE DRUM MALLETS TO HAVE A PRESSURE GREATER THAN IT WAS BEFORE, WHAT COULD YOU DO?
A: EX- APPLY MORE FORCE TO THE DRUM HEAD, USE A DRUM WITH A LARGER SURFACE AREA.
A: THE STANDARD DRUMSTICKS BECAUSE THEY COVER A SMALLER AREA THAN THE DRUM MALLETS.
2. IF YOU WANTED THE DRUM MALLETS TO HAVE A PRESSURE GREATER THAN IT WAS BEFORE, WHAT COULD YOU DO?
A: EX- APPLY MORE FORCE TO THE DRUM HEAD, USE A DRUM WITH A LARGER SURFACE AREA.