Violin And Physics

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Physics and the Violin Research Paper Physical Concepts PH106 Instructor: Mr. Jian Peng Submitted by: Amy Hoehn Spring 2011 Amy Hoehn PH 106 Research Paper April 19, 2011 Physics and the Violin When listening to a violin’s melodious music, one may only think about the beautiful music that is being produced from this instrument. However, behind this music maker is so much more. Physics plays a large role in not only the making of the instrument but also its music that streams from it. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss how physics plays such a vital role in the formation of the violin. First, as with all sciences, the violin has much of a past to get where it is at now. Stringing instruments in general have a past that goes back as far as the medieval ages. The violin, however, was not developed until the 15th century. It originated in Italy from Andrea Amati, who founded the Cremona School of Violin Makers. His students, Antonio Stradivari and Giuseppe Guarneri, brought violin making to a new level with the help of a newly used science, physics, along with their artisans skills. After this, violin making expanded rapidly throughout Europe and the rest of the world, and for the last 150 years, violins made by Stradivari and Guarneri have been the preferred brand for orchestras around the globe. So what makes the violin so special and different from other instruments? Physics is a leading cause of why the violin is so different from others. There are many different physical concepts involved with a violin, including everything from its strings, to how it is played; even to the shape and the sound it emits. The first concept we will look at is the strings of the violin. The strings of a violin are extended from the bridge to the scroll of the violin, as shown in Figure 1. A violin player makes sound by drawing
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