How to Make a Tin Can Phone

 



Ever made a phone from two empty baked bean cans? What better way to recycle, have fun and learn a little science!

 

What you’ll need...

 

RECYCLE

 

2 Clean empty tin cans

A long piece of string.

A hammer and nail (also an adult who can use them)

Let’s not forget the person who you want to talk to!!!

 

What to do...

 

FUN

 

Take the two clean tin cans, remove one end completely, if they’ve been used for dinner this should already be done. Be sure they are clean and do not to leave any sharp edges  (get a grown-up to check this!).

 

Ask your adult to turn the can over and use the hammer and nail to make a small hole in the centre of each can.

 

Now that you have your holes take a long piece of string. Thread one end of the string through one of the nail holes; tie a knot in each end so you can't pull it back through the hole! Repeat with the other can and the other end of string.

 

Your tin phone is nearly complete. Hold one can and give the other side to a friend and walk away from each other until the string is stretched tight.

 

As one person chats into a can, the other listens in the other end. ... can you hear them!? 

You'll be surprised at how well this works.

 

What you’ll learn...

 

SCIENCE

 

When you talk into your tin can, the bottom of it vibrates back and forth with the sound waves you’ve made.

 

The vibrations travel through the tight string.

 

As a result, the bottom of the second tin can should start to vibrate just like the bottom of the first tin can is vibrating, producing sound waves so you can therefore hear what the first person says! 

 

This is an original news article © The Kids Window


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