Abstract:

The Exploratorium is a hands-on museum of science, art, and human perception. The museum includes many unique and educationally valuable exhibits dealing with the science of sound. Slides showing interesting exhibits will be presented, such as: the ``Sound Column,'' which demonstrates the sensitivity of the human ear to pressure fluctuations, not displacement fluctuations; the ``Air Reed,'' which uses Schleiren techniques to show the motion of air that drives a flute, and ``Find the Highest Note,'' an exhibit that not only shows Shepard tones but also allows visitors to test themselves with the tritone paradox. This presentation will discuss how these exhibits and more are used in our teacher education programs.