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An investigation using pieces of string to produce sounds with different pitches. A string has been attached to a weight. When the string is plucked, it is easy to see the vibrations producing the sound. When extra weights are added, the pitch becomes higher as the string becomes tighter and vibrate faster. The pitch of the string can be affected by its length and thickness.

The clip could be used at the end of a lesson on sound, after students have carried out a carousel of activities investigating factors that affect pitch, such as blowing across bottles filled with different amounts of water, plucking thick and thin strings, and twanging different lengths of a ruler over the end of the table. What do they notice about the pitch of the note? Do they notice any patterns emerging? (thicker strings, larger amounts of air or water produce lower notes). These findings should be explained and linked to the speed of the vibrating material, demonstrating how slower vibrations produce lower sounds. The clip could be paused before each mini experiment for the students to predict results. Playing the remainder of the clip should enable them to check the accuracy of their predictions as well as assess their understanding of the concept.