Helmholtz resonance

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A brass, spherical Helmholtz resonator based on his original design, circa 1890–1900

Helmholtz resonance or wind throb is air resonance in a cavity. Examples:

  1. Blowing across the top of an empty bottle.
  2. Whistling

The name comes from a device created in the 1850s by Hermann von Helmholtz, the Helmholtz resonator. He used it to find the various frequencies or musical pitches in music and other complex sounds.[1]

References[change | change source]

  1. Helmholtz, Hermann von (1885), On the sensations of tone as a physiological basis for the theory of music, Second English Edition, translated by Alexander J. Ellis. London: Longmans, Green, and Co., p. 44. Retrieved 2010-10-12.