Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1896 — SOUND OF THE SUNBEAM. [ARTICLE]

SOUND OF THE SUNBEAM.

Delicate ‘Mechanism Which Determines the Vocal Properties of Color. One of the most-wonderful discoveries in science that -have been imiuiwithin tlie last year or two is the fact that a beam of light produces sound. A beam of . sunlight is thrown through a lens on a glass vessel that contains lampblack, colored silk or worsted or other siibstancbs, says a writer in Ik arson’s Weekly. A disk having slits or openings cut in it is made to revolve swiftly in this beam of light so as to cut it up, thus’ making alternate Hashes of light and shadow.

On putting the ear to the glass vessel strange sounds are heard so long as the flashing beam is falling on the vessel. Recently a more wonderful discovery has been made. A beam of (sunlight is caused to pass through a prism so as to produce what js called the solar spectrum, or jainbovv. The disk is turned and the colored light of the rainbow is made to break through it. Now the ear to the vessel containing the silk, wool or other material. As the colored lights of the spectrum fall upon it sounds will b 6 given by differed’ parts of the spectrum and there will be silence in other parts., For instance, if the vessel contains red worsted and the green light flashes upon it loud sounds will be given. Only feeble sounds will be heard if the red and blue parts df the rainbow fall upon the vessel and other colors majee no sound at all. Green silk 'gives sounds best in red light. i > Every kind of material gives more or less sound in different colors and utters no sound in others.