Category: Sound & Sensory Weirdness

Browsing posts filed under "Sound & Sensory Weirdness".

What makes the metallic clink of ice cubes in a metal cup?

The iconic "clink" of ice in a metal cup comes from hard ice hitting resonant metal, amplified by the cup's shape, with rapid melting and tiny ice fractures adding to the frosty soundtrack.**

May 25, 2025

Why do metal spoons rattle differently in hot versus cold drinks?

Metal spoons rattle differently in hot drinks because hot water is less viscous (thinner) and less dense, allowing sound waves from the rattling spoon to travel more freely and clearly, often resulting in a brighter, higher-pitched sound compared to the duller thud in thicker, colder water.**

May 21, 2025

Why do empty plastic bottles make a whistling sound when squeezed?

Squeezing an empty plastic bottle forces air out quickly through its narrow neck, making the air (and sometimes the bottle itself) vibrate to create that surprising whistling sound.

May 17, 2025

Why do plastic grocery bags squeak when rubbed against each other?

Plastic grocery bags squeak because their surfaces microscopically stick and slip against each other thousands of times a second, creating tiny vibrations that their thin material amplifies into that familiar crinkly sound.

May 11, 2025

Why do fresh latex balloons cling to walls after rubbing with hair?

Rubbing a balloon on your hair transfers tiny negative charges (electrons) to the balloon, making it negatively charged; this charge then attracts the slightly positive surface it creates on a neutral wall through static electricity.**

April 28, 2025