The scientist learned how each of the elements of the periodic table sounds

Elements periodic table such as gold, silver, phosphorus and many others have been transformed into sounds or, to be more precise, into the unique radiation that these compounds emit when heated or electrified. As the elements go through these processes, people can hear the characteristic chord of each one, and although the idea has been tried before, advances in technology have made fuller and more subtle sounds possible.

V Spring Conference of the American Chemical Societyheld over the weekend, scientist W. Walker Smith belonging Indiana University He demonstrated the result of converting the electromagnetic spectrum of each element into sound. From what he points out, Smith is using his work to educate students about the radiation spectrum and turning it into an exhibition in WonderLab Museum in Bloomington in Indiana.

“I want to create an interactive, real-time musical periodic table that allows both children and adults to select an element, see a visualization of its visible light spectrum, and listen to it at the same time.”explains the scientist release.

Purely musical periodic table

When the elements are energized, electrons they can move to higher energy levels. After that, they return to their ground state, releasing a photon in the process. The wavelength of the photon produced depends on the difference in energy between the excited state and the resting state. In other words, the higher the energy, the higher the frequency and the shorter the wavelength.

The discovery of this fact Smith This was crucial to man’s understanding of the universe. This allows scientists and astronomers to identify the elements of a star billions of light-years away from the different wavelengths it emits, known as emission spectra.

To explain the large differences between the frequencies we see and the frequencies we hear, Smith he multiplied the frequencies of visible light by a factor of 10-12, making the rainbow an octave in the most sensitive part of the human hearing range. As already mentioned, Smith is not the first to come up with this idea, but his predecessors were trying to reproduce the spectra of the elements on a piano that does not have enough notes to capture the subtle differences between adjacent wavelengths.

A discovery that will benefit the scientific community

The study notes that some transitions are much more common than others, causing the emission lines to become brighter. What did he do Smith is to turn up the volume, but include weirder jumps. For each element, all the strings can be played together to create a chord, but Smith also plays melodies by playing the element in succession.

Some objects produce thousands of frequencies, creating the risk of sensory overload. However, according to the professor, Smith managed to create a much richer soundscape than previous attempts. David Klemmer and teacher Chi Wangfrom the chemistry and music faculties Indiana University respectively.

“Some of the notes are out of tune, but Smith stuck to them in this translation of the elements into music.”It says Klemmer. “The decisions about what is vital to preserve when voicing data are both difficult and rewarding. And Smith did a great job of making those decisions from a musical standpoint.”said Van.

In addition to educational and entertainment benefits, Smith He hopes to use the work to educate people with visual impairments about the spectra of the elements. It may even be easier to distinguish between transition metals whose spectra may be confusingly similar.

We recommend you METADATA, an RPP technology podcast. News, analytics, reviews, recommendations and everything you need to know about the world of technology.