Music Box
A lovely little music box.
You can choose either one which plays Fur Elise by Ludwig van Beethoven OR Star Wars by Darth Vadar.
The clear transparent case allows the mechanism to be easily examined.
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Rotating the crank: When you turn the crank (or lever) of the music box by hand, it causes the cylinder inside to rotate. (The worm screw gear reduces the speed of the hand movement)
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Cylinder with raised pins: The rotating cylinder has a pattern of raised pins or projections on its surface. These pins are precisely placed to correspond to the musical notes of Fur Elise
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Metal comb with tuned tines: Inside the box, there is a metal comb with thin, tuned tines (small metal prongs). Each tine is tuned to a specific pitch or musical note. The longer the tine, the lower the frequency or pitch.
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Pins pluck the tines: As the cylinder rotates, the pins or projections on its surface pluck the tines of the metal comb. Each tine vibrates when plucked, producing a distinct musical note.
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Vibration and sound production: The vibrating tines create sound waves, which we perceive as music. The size and shape of the music box, along with the materials used, affect the volume and timbre of the sound. Kids can explore playing the music box on different objects to explore resonance.
The beauty of the music box lies in its simplicity: by manually turning the crank, you power the mechanism, which directly translates into the melody being played.