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Why Do Silver Coins Ring Differently than Clad Coins?
Coinosaurus
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Does anyone know the scientific reason?
The last silver coin I got in circulation, I "heard" it before I saw it. They just sound different.
The last silver coin I got in circulation, I "heard" it before I saw it. They just sound different.
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Hoard the keys.
(But, I'm just a history major, so you might want to check with an engineer.)
Check out the Southern Gold Society
of a bell. Casting, of course, can do the same (as bells are cast). The problem is that the clad
layer inhibits the transfer of sound via the molecules. They get interrupted by the the clad layer.
Copper, silver or just about any metal will ring if pure enough an uninhibited by a clad layer.
Think of earthquake studies that can tell what the matter that the earthquake vibrations ring
through the earth. Solid rock rings strong and powerful. Like silver coins.
Not a scientist, just common sense and if I am wrong I will soon corrected.
bob
This frequency is primarily dependent on hardness but many factors are involved.
<< <i>Almost everything has a natural frequency at which it vibrates.
This frequency is primarily dependent on hardness but many factors are involved. >>
This.
The coin itself does not make the sound. The vibration of the coin when struck by another solid object produces a sound wave in the atmosphere.
A specific molecular density and mass of a solid object will produce a specific wavelength of sound in a specific atmosphere. The ring produced by a silver dollar at sea level will not sound the same either at a 30,000 foot altitude or a 1,000 foot sea depth.
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http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
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--- If it should happen I die and leave this world and you want to remember me. Please only remember my opening Sig Line.<< <i>
<< <i>Almost everything has a natural frequency at which it vibrates.
This frequency is primarily dependent on hardness but many factors are involved. >>
This.
The coin itself does not make the sound. The vibration of the coin when struck by another solid object produces a sound wave in the atmosphere.
A specific molecular density and mass of a solid object will produce a specific wavelength of sound in a specific atmosphere. The ring produced by a silver dollar at sea level will not sound the same either at a 30,000 foot altitude or a 1,000 foot sea depth. >>
I believe that density is the correct property. A silver coin has a uniform composition and therefore a single natural wavelength of vibration. A clad coin has two or more dissimilar metals and a non-uniform density. I believe that the average density is identical or early so to a silver coin so that they work the same in vending machines.
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<< <i>So then if the nickel and copper were mixed and struck would it make the same ring? >>
If clad quarters were melted to uniform composition, a volume of this alloy equal in volume to a silver quarter would likely have a different density.
<< <i>So then if the nickel and copper were mixed and struck would it make the same ring? >>
Would the metal in a silver quarter make the same ring if it was spherical or cubic in shape?
-Ron Burgundy
If this were correct, the single natural wavelength of vibration you refer to would be a pure tone, which almost never occurs in nature (other than perhaps from a tuning fork). Rather, while coin silver may or may not have a "uniform" composition, when struck, it rings with a complex wave as viewed on an oscilloscope, consisting of a fundamental plus many overtones, or harmonics. These can be displayed on a spectrum analyzer, where the individual harmonics (and also parasitics, or frequencies less than the fundamental) can be analyzed. It is the specific acoustic 'signature' of these harmonics that makes coin ring different from a lead blank ring, or a Steinway piano different from simple plucked string. If a coin were to 'ring' at a discrete, single frequency, it would be bereft of the rich sound contributed to by the harmonics.
Silver like a blend , rings too.
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<< <i>"I believe that density is the correct property. A silver coin has a uniform composition and therefore a single natural wavelength of vibration."
If this were correct, the single natural wavelength of vibration you refer to would be a pure tone, which almost never occurs in nature (other than perhaps from a tuning fork). Rather, while coin silver may or may not have a "uniform" composition, when struck, it rings with a complex wave as viewed on an oscilloscope, consisting of a fundamental plus many overtones, or harmonics. These can be displayed on a spectrum analyzer, where the individual harmonics (and also parasitics, or frequencies less than the fundamental) can be analyzed. It is the specific acoustic 'signature' of these harmonics that makes coin ring different from a lead blank ring, or a Steinway piano different from simple plucked string. If a coin were to 'ring' at a discrete, single frequency, it would be bereft of the rich sound contributed to by the harmonics. >>
I probably should have said unique instead of single.
And that would have been correct. All metal objects exhibit a unique signature of tone when struck, but the tone is not of a single frequency.
The story is told of a church bell in Washington, New Hampshire, cast by the George Handel Holbrook Foundry, in East Medway, Massachusetts. Holbrook apprenticed at the Paul Revere foundry, but left presumably because he could not bear the off-key sound exhibited by the Revere bells. Holbrook was from a musical family, and allegedly added several silver dollars to the mix, resulting in a bell which exhibited a more 'musical' tone, and is still in service to this day.
will have a natural frequency despite non-uniform density. Objects tend to resist vibrating except at their
natural frequencies determined by hardness, shape, character (molecular), density, etc, etc. Multiples and
fractions of their natural frequencies also will induce vibration. Most things will otherwise just allow vibrations
to pass through rathe than to "ring".
I'm sure everyone knows that an army has to break step crossing a bridge because of the danger of inducing
a vibration that can collapse the bridge. You'll sometimes see cars at just the right acceleration to start bouncing
around.
Most homogenous hard materials like shaped pieces of metal are very easily "rung". But a lead bell wouldn't be very
loud and despite it's density would be (I presume) low frequency.
<< <i>"I probably should have said unique instead of single."
And that would have been correct. All metal objects exhibit a unique signature of tone when struck, but the tone is not of a single frequency.
The story is told of a church bell in Washington, New Hampshire, cast by the George Handel Holbrook Foundry, in East Medway, Massachusetts. Holbrook apprenticed at the Paul Revere foundry, but left presumably because he could not bear the off-key sound exhibited by the Revere bells. Holbrook was from a musical family, and allegedly added several silver dollars to the mix, resulting in a bell which exhibited a more 'musical' tone, and is still in service to this day. >>
I remember reading many years ago that the peal of a bell could be changed by shaving/peeling metal from the bottom edge of the bell.
<< <i> You'll sometimes see cars at just the right acceleration to start bouncing
around. >>
I believe that this is what produces the washboarding effect seen/felt on many crushed rock/gravel roads [a real nuisance here in Iowa].
<< <i>
<< <i> You'll sometimes see cars at just the right acceleration to start bouncing
around. >>
I believe that this is what produces the washboarding effect seen/felt on many crushed rock/gravel roads [a real nuisance here in Iowa]. >>
I think it's probably more six of one half a dozen of the other. ie- the average natural frequency
of the cars passing over the road determines the exact distance between the ridges but the bouncing
itself is caused by the ridges being at the right frequency. Slowing or speeding up should change
the frequency and stop the bouncing in most cars.
Most processes of this nature get very complicated very quickly. For instance the types of tires causing
this characteristic wear are important and the undercarriage of a car is largely isolated from the car
itself so there are two natural frequencies for a car for most practical purposes. Of course when the
car isn't moving on its spriungs it becomes a single entity again. The average speed and acceleration
of the cars passing over the area will affect the pattern so it will be different near stop signs than at a
distance over straight level road.
Even water running over stone will cause a wear pattern similar to washboarding. What strikes me is
that no one really knows anything and nature is infinitely complex. I doubt there are even two quarks
that are identical.
<< <i>Because silver coins are "SOUND" money.
I made a point of stocking one of my machines with all silver.
Many of you will never know the wonderful sound of that jackpot.