My dad was wondering and i don't really know the answer.
2007-12-05 14:47:03 · 5 answers · asked by DJsqaired 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Because helium is lighter than oxygen, so it travels faster over your vocal cords than oxygen does. That means your vocal cords vibrate at a shorter wave frequency (faster) and your voice sounds weird.
2007-12-05 14:50:24 · answer #1 · answered by Lisa E 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Once it's out of the bottle, the helium has the exact same pressure as the air around it, and almost the same temperature. However, the one property that is much different is the density.
The lower density means that your vocal cords encounter much less aerodynamic drag as they vibrate back and forth. This allows them to vibrate faster, leading to the high-pitched voice.
Contrary to what some other people mistakenly suggest:
1) The frequency of a sound does NOT change as the sound passes from one medium into another.
2) The speed of sound in helium is much higher than in air, but this is totally irrelevant, because the listener's ears are not filled with helium, and because of the previous point.
2007-12-05 22:56:10 · answer #2 · answered by lithiumdeuteride 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
because the speed of sound in helium is nearly three times the speed of sound in air. the frequency of a gas-filled cavity is proportional to the speed of sound in the gas, when helium is inhaled there is a corresponding increase in the frequencies of the vocal tract.
2007-12-05 22:51:33 · answer #3 · answered by instantkarma 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It tightens the vocal cords, hence the higher sound
2007-12-05 22:50:58 · answer #4 · answered by bolyburg 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because sound waves travel differently through helium.
2007-12-05 22:50:37 · answer #5 · answered by Grey Man 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋