Using a Tuning Fork

Introduction to using a tuning fork:

In 1711, British musician John Shore made the tuning fork, which is an instrument made of steel consisting of a handle and two prongs. When struck, it emits tone of particular pitch. Due to their uncomplicated mechanical structure, steady frequency and cleanliness of tone, these tuning forks being used in musical acoustics as standards or principles of frequency. They can be made of aluminum, steel or space alloy. An electrical tuning fork can control the electric circuits as they can generate highly accurate and stable frequency standards. Basically, a tuning fork is a transverse vibrator.

 
Procedure to use a tuning fork


Grasp it firmly by its end without any tension in the arm and strike only one of the prongs about one-third of the way from the top. The "U" shape causes both sides to vibrate and produces a smooth sound wave.

Set it carefully while it is vibrating, on a hard surface like a chair or a table, which amplifies the pitch, for the musicians to tune up.


Uses of a tuning fork


The basic reason for the U-shape of the fork is that it produces a very pure tone; its vibrations being at the fundamental frequency in contrast to other resonators. The first overtone produces a frequency which is 6 1/4 times the fundamental which is 2 1/2 octaves above it. As the fork is struck, less energy goes into the overtone modes; leaving the fundamental which makes it easier to tune other instruments with this pure tone.

It is mainly used to tune other musical instruments, as a standard of pitch.

Tuning forks are used by medical practitioners to assess a patient's hearing. Low-pitch forks are used to check vibration sense in examining the peripheral nervous system.

Tuning forks play a role in various alternative medicines, such as polarity therapy and sonopuncture.

A number of keyboard musical instruments work on the same principle as tuning forks.

A radar gun, used to measure the speed of ball or cars in different sports, is calibrated with tuning forks of varied calibration speed and radar band.

Doubled and H-type of tuning forks are used for grading in Vibrating Gyroscopes.


Conclusion of using a tuning fork


It is used in school, institutes and research laboratories to study the effects of different sound tones. Depending on its dimensions and the material used frequency of a tuning fork can be ascertained.