have anyone of you BEEN to an NFA (National Flute Assoc) convention?? They probably don't allow glass or crystal in the dealer display area, there would be shattered glass everywhere...

Lol!! Some are really that bad??!! I have met some flute players that could do more damage than break glass. :O

Yeah That was well gud!!!

Pitches change depending on the frequency. Really low pitches have a low frequency (and thus a large wavelength), but really high pitches have a high frequency. Because the flute is a high pitched instrument, it may be producing waves at frequencies above those that the glass produces, and thus it would be impossible to break a glass with a flute. You see, pitch and frequency are intertwined.

If someone actually throws the glass at you, does that count?

I remember a friend boasting about breaking a glass with a violin during our uni days. Thinking about this now, I think it is possible. Maybe possible too with flute. Generally, you can permanently damage your eardrum with 100db, but I think with proper wavelength, form and frequency of concentrated harmonics, flute sound can break a glass.

But first use glasses that permit sine waves to propagate better such as crystal glasses. Tap it and determine its natural frequency then match it with exactly the same frequency. Once the frequency range is matched, it will be absorbed, will excite an atomic motion, resonate then break the glass. This sounds easy. The hardest part here is matching the frequency – precisely – such as pitch being directly related to frequency. Now the question is – what is the highest frequency can flute produce?


<Added>

Theoretically, it is possible for flute sound to break a glass under two options:
1. Precisely match the frequency of the glass with that of the flute; or
2. Custom-made a glass that will precisely match the particular frequency of your flute

Pitches change depending on the frequency. Really low pitches have a low frequency (and thus a large wavelength), but really high pitches have a high frequency. Because the flute is a high pitched instrument, it may be producing waves at frequencies above those that the glass produces, and thus it would be impossible to break a glass with a flute. You see, pitch and frequency are intertwined.

Yeah, that's what I meant when I said the Flute was probably too high pitched.

I think the concept here is (oscillatory) frequency matching. So in my opinion it is entirely feasible.

Tap it and determine its natural frequency then match it with exactly the same frequency. Once the frequency range is matched, it will be absorbed, will excite an atomic motion, resonate then break the glass.

Actually Tessa, that is exactly what they tried first and it did not work. That had to use a harmonic to break the glass. The matching pitch DID resonate the glass as they showed with a straw, but it would not break it. They also did not say which harmonic ie., 3rd or 5th in the tone actually broke the glass.

There are tons of variables in this experiment. The singer who actually broke it went through 10-12 different glasses. That is a pretty large group of glasses before he actually found one he could break.

They also said in the experiment the actual decible level that broke the glass, but I would have to go back and watch it again for that number. We would actually have to see if the flute could play that frequency that loud to test this. I will say this...like Adam, I don't know if I would want to test this out personally. Having glass break in your face as the best case scenario is not my idea of a good time!

I'm so sorry I could not fully access the Mythbuster website with my computer. Mine is just a general theory. But still I do not think that it is purely frequency related, even with assisted method. There are certain wave forms that is attached to this, an entirely different combination than sine complex alone. However, I also think that they neither busted nor proven the myth as the glass were held close to the mouth while producing the sound and the person's mouth was almost touching the rim of the wine glass.

If I am not mistaken, I think the myth that they were trying to bust is a glass being broken by an opera singer. First the opera singer does not stand that close to the glass (unlike the Mythbuster’s). Second, the change in air temperature surrounding the glass changes when you exhale next to it. Third, higher temperature tends to exhilarate sound waves. Fourth, have you ever wondered why sounds are easily produced by almost-touching the rim of the glass and not the body? And finally, you can precisely match the frequency of the glass but without forming enough sound waves and the required velocity, you would not be able to penetrate it.

An experiment to explore something has to match every criterion of what they are trying to explore. However, if what they are trying to prove is whether sound produced at close vicinity of the object can break a glass, then they have proven it.

And Micron, the chattering false teeth joke is not funny at all. It’s corny!

I think the myth that they were trying to bust is a glass being broken by an opera singer. First the opera singer does not stand that close to the glass (unlike the Mythbuster’s).

The exact wording of the myth was "Can an unassisted human voice shatter glass?"

The opera singers were used as examples as to where the myth originated because those people were the only reported cases of people who broke glass with their voice.

So it cold have been the chattering false teeth the broke the glass? :-)

No Micron, treating this comment from you as a friendly joke is the most intentionally dumb thing for me to do. I don’t have an intelligent mind so I know that this is supposed to be a joke on me. But hey I didn’t know that intelligent people like you gave this comment with serious thought in mind. Cheers!

Another thought about the variables in this experiement...

When the glass was sitting on the table top nothing was touching it. When the singer broke the glass he had it in his hand.

Would there be a significant enough reduction in vibration from holding the glass to require having your mouth closer to the glass. Hmmm, maybe we should copy this thread and send it to the Myth Busters! XD

Sorry to break into this forum, but I watched the clip and was completely blown away by what I saw. I think that the type of glass that they used would make quite a difference. I didn't catch what type they used, (Crystal-lead?) but maybe a purer type of glass would shatter more effectively.