Chladni Plates
Explore Chladni patterns: the geometry of vibrating plates
Explore resonance: at different frequencies, different parts of a plate remain still. The simulated grains reveal these nodal lines.
Key idea
A standing-wave mode has regions that vibrate strongly and nodal lines that remain comparatively still. Chladni patterns make those nodal lines visible; changing the drive frequency can favor a different mode.
Try this first
Change the drive frequency gradually and watch the particles settle into different patterns. Compare a simple pattern with a more intricate one: the still regions change as different modeled vibration modes are excited.
How to get started
- Open the plate and start the simulation.
- Adjust the frequency slowly and allow the pattern to settle.
- Compare patterns at different frequencies rather than changing every setting at once.
Explore a little further
Try another experiment
Find a clear pattern, then change the frequency slowly in both directions. Compare its symmetry with a neighboring pattern. Distinguish a stable arrangement from the movement while the particles are settling.
Good to know
This is an interactive model, not a laboratory measurement of a particular physical plate. Real plate behavior also depends on material, dimensions, supports and damping.
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