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Grades K–2 · Arts & Music

Why does a shaker rattle when it moves?

A shaker has loose pieces inside a hollow shell. They might be seeds or other small pieces. When the shell moves, the pieces move inside it too.

V004 visual explanationLoose pieces make many small impacts; cutaway shell; pieces hit the vibrating shell; sound; Motion and vibration marks are symbolic; the pieces stay inside.Loose pieces make many small impactscutaway shellpieces hit the vibrating shellsoundMotion and vibration marks are symbolic; the pieces stay inside.

In the diagramLoose pieces make many small impactscutaway shellpieces hit the vibrating shellsoundMotion and vibration marks are symbolic; the pieces stay inside.

A cutaway shaker shows loose pieces striking its shell, with sound spreading outward. The small motion marks represent vibrations, not pieces escaping from the instrument.

The loose pieces bump into the shell and one another. The bumps make the shell vibrate. Its movement disturbs the nearby air, and sound travels through the air to your ears.

Many little bumps together make the rattling sound. Changing the shell or what is inside changes the sound. The hand supplies movement, the pieces make bumps and the vibrating shell helps the rattle reach us.

About this explanation

Starting knowledge: Recognize a hollow container and know that vibrations can make sound.

Connect this idea: Energy & Motion

Sources

  • Science Museum Group — Rattle made of seed-case
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders — How Do We Hear?
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