We’ve all seen those scenes in movies. You know, the scene where the opera singer belts out a note so loud and sustained that they literally shatter a glass. I’m wondering if that’s actually possible?
So apparently every object has a natural resonant frequency. That means theres a pitch at which that object starts to vibrate (even skyscrapers have this natural resonance). The thing is… every single piece of glass has a different pitch at which it resonates.
So if you were able to shatter a glass by singing, you’d have to sing at the exact note that resonates for that specific piece of glass. Turns out, you can find that note by hitting the glass and listening for the clink sound.
Now, if you were able to sing that exact note for a really long time at a REALLY loud volume, you could theoretically shatter a glass. The vibration will eventually cause the glass to flex enough that it shatters.
So the answer is: it’s possible but it ain’t easy. Here’s a pretty cool YouTube video where they do manage to shatter a glass (with some technological help). Just make sure to turn the volume down on your headphones or speakers, trust me!
I had always assumed this was a myth but it’s cool to know that it’s actually possible. Do ya think you have the pipes to shatter a glass?
