A Rubens tube, also known as a standing wave flame tube, or simply flame tube, is a physics apparatus for demonstrating acoustic standing waves in a tube. Invented by German physicist Heinrich Rubens in 1905, it graphically shows the relationship between sound waves and sound pressure, as a primitive oscilloscope. Today, it is used only occasionally, typically as a demonstration in physics education.
The middle image shows materials scientist Anna Ploszajski blowing a trumpet into a Rubens tube. See full YouTube video.
The right image shows a 2D Rubens tube, also called a pyro board. See full YouTube video.
Sources:
- Quote from the Wikipedia article on the Rubens tube.
- Left image from shop.wf-education.com.
- Middle image: still from a 2023 YouTube video by The Royal Institution.
- Right image: still from a 2014 YouTube video by Veritasium.
Related: Also see our entries 1866 – Kundt’s Tube and 1787 – Chladni Plates.
Added by: Pierre Dragicevic, sent by: Martin Hachet.
Category:
Measuring instrument
Tags:
fire, standing waves, physics, science, sound