Chladni, Ernst Florens Friedrich (1756–1827)
German lawyer, musician (he was born in Leipzig in the same year as Mozart
and died in the same year as Beethoven), and amateur scientist who founded
the science of acoustics. While investigating
musical tones, he had the inspired idea of making the sounds visible in
a solid material. He spread fine sand over a glass or metal plate and set
it into vibration with the bow of a violin by scraping the bow along one
edge of the plate. The bow would alternately stick and slip in rapid succession
on the edge of the plate creating waves that moved across the plate and
were reflected from the edges. These reflected waves became superimposed
on the new waves coming from the bow edge, resulting in symmetrical patterns
of nodal lines where the plate isn't moving. The type of pattern produced
on a Chladni plate depends on a variety of factors, including the point
or points of support and their location; the point where the bow touches
the plate; the frequency of the vibration, which is influenced by the speed
the bow; and the shape and other properties of the plate itself.
Chladni was born at Wittenberg and studied law in his native town, and also
in Leipzig, where, in 1782, he was made Doctor of Laws. After abandoning
his judicial studies for the science of sound, he traveled for ten years
through Germany, Holland, France, Italy, Russia, and Denmark, giving lectures
on the subject. His writings include works on the theory of sound (1787),
and on acoustics (1802 and 1817), on meteors (1820), and on the improving
of musical instruments.
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