All STEM Activities

Build a Disk Siren

Here's how.

Summary

Materials

Instructions

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Active Time

45 minutes to 1 hour

Total Project Time

45 minutes to 1 hour

Key Concepts

Sound, siren, frequency, pitch

A straw is pointed at a spinning disk that is attached to a drill bit

Introduction

If you live in an urban area, you probably hear them almost every day: sirens. Police cars, ambulances, fire trucks—they all can come blaring. Their wailing sounds are piercingly loud to help alert others to clear the road in front of them. But have you ever thought about how this loud noise is generated? Make your own disk siren in this activity and find out for yourself.

Credits

Svenja Lohner, PhD, Science Buddies

Sabine De Brabandere, PhD, Science Buddies

This activity is not appropriate for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Next: Materials

Materials

Plastic lid, the type you see on large yogurt tubs, preferably 16 cm diameter.
Scissors
Protractor
Ruler
Permanent marker
Double-sided foam tape, a small piece is enough.
Hole punch
Cordless electric high-power screwdriver that reaches at least 1,000 rotations per minute. You should only use it with adult supervision.
Small bit for the screwdriver
Straw
Paper clip or needle
Adult helper

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