Audio and Visual Periodic Table

[RandyRubio]

Hi,
I would like to share my friend Josh's latest research project.

 

It is an audible periodic table, where one may hear the sound of the
light from each element! It visually looks like a standard form
periodic table, yet where the atomic numbers would be seen, there
instead is a visual of the light frequency for the element. By
clicking on a specific element, you will then be able to hear it's
sound. Essentially, he took the atomic spectra frequencies and
intensities from each element and downshifted them forty octaves into
auditory range.

Playing the table is somewhat like playing chords on a piano. For example,
you can hear a progression up to Chlorine and a resolution at Neon

 

http://spectraphonictable.com

 

Feel free to check it out and if you would like to support his research,
it is for a good cause. It is not often we see new information like
this shared publicly. He also appreciates feedback, and you can contact him via his website.

 

I personally like the sound of Gold, which is your favorite?

- Randy

[Amaton]

I may just be dull in the mind, but I have to ask... Am I the only one who found something odd with this?

 

---EDIT---

 

Yeah, nevermind.

Edited June 8, 2013 by Amaton

[EdEarl]

This is an outstanding idea that may help teach blind people about science. I like the sounds of the noble gasses.

[Amaton]

This is an outstanding idea that may help teach blind people about science. I like the sounds of the noble gasses.

 

I thought it was a cool notion also, but I'm still not comfortable with this idea so I'll just come out with it...

 

Essentially, he took the atomic spectra frequencies and intensities from each element and downshifted them forty octaves into auditory range.

 

Okay. It would make sense if your friend were using data from acoustic spectrometry (representation via sound waves) but according to his website, he's using light. Then I thought, well maybe your friend is using some nontrivial method by means of specialized software, but according to this phrasing you seem to claim he's done a direct transposition -- of light... into sound. How is this possible? Since when can one lower the frequencies of EM radiation down to sound? Please tell me I'm not as dull as I suspect.

Edited June 8, 2013 by Amaton

[RandyRubio]

Thanks for the replys.

 

What he did was take the atomic spectral data for each element along with line intensity data from the National Institute of Science and Technology and dropped each light frequency 40 octaves and reconfigured the data as sound files.
This allows us to hear the information as a result.

If you click on the "What is this?" tab at the top of the page, you should be able to gain a better understanding of this cool project.

Please let me know if the information there allows for your better understanding, or if you have any further questions.

- Randy

[Amaton]

Please let me know if the information there allows for your better understanding, or if you have any further questions.

 

 

I appreciate your convenience. Thanks for that. I'm just befuddled by the explanation behind the method, but I must admit the concept and the work is very cool. It's likely just my shortcomings.

(from the What is this? section)

 

Simply, what I have done is take the atomic spectral data for each element along with line intensity data from the National Institute of Science and Technology and dropped each light frequency precisely forty octaves into the human auditory range and reconfigured the resultant data as sound files.

 

(from the Why is it better? section)

 

We can barely see an octave of light frequency data (red to violet)...

 

Maybe the wording is a little misleading?

 

First of all, the visible spectrum is just the visible spectrum. As far as I know, electromagnetic radiation does not have any sort of octave equivalency as sound does. Saying that the data was dropped 40 octaves tells me nothing -- What is this supposed to mean precisely? In terms of wavelength or frequency?

 

Then, "dropped each light frequency precisely forty octaves into the human auditory range" -- disregarding whatever 40 octaves of light means, how can electromagnetic radiation become sound? I suspect a specialized conversion process was used. Did you mean that the frequency was lowered enough so that once it was converted to sound data it would be audible to the human ear? Here, it's a matter of causality in the statements, semantics in a way.