Helium the World's Best Sound Suppressor

Part 1 - We start by demonstrating the unusual effect helium has on your voice and a musical instrument. We then show how helium might be used as one of the best noise suppressors available.

[@o_-_o]

I hope you are patentig as fast as your ideas comes.

[@TechIngredients]

We will not patent any of the content we present. If we come up with useful ideas or approaches to technologies, then everyone can benefit from this. If what we do is patented by others in order to restrict free access to ideas, then we're on the record; those patents have no validity.

[@Flo422]

It's nice to see it will not be tried :-) But even if someone else would patent it: Once a process is described to the public you can no longer file a patent on it and assume you can retain it if someone challenges it. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prior_art

[@martinda7446]

Done at least 1973 NASA

[@fun_ghoul]

_"We will not patent any of the content we present."_ This is comradely. Thank you.

[@dhejdkdkdebjejdjdjs3523]

Thank you. Greed has run this country into the ground and the whole patent system is rediculous anyway.

[@theCodyReeder]

It seems we both stumbled across this.

[@dark_lord_4545]

Hi there ✋😁

[@jzeman]

Would love to see a collaboration between these channels

[@teewess7254]

We don't take kindly to yer types round here , go on , get. Go back to yer own channel now boy

[@chaoticature]

tee wess I hope that’s sarcasm and I think it is. (New to this channel) It’s so hard to tell with just words written. If not, please allow people to choose what awesome stuff they do or do not want to be involved with.

[@PhunkBustA]

^ Poe's law my man

[@mandolinic]

I thought I'd repeat this experiment on a larger scale, so I filled up a room with helium and sent in a technician to play the flute. It really works; he's been in there for 40 minutes now and I haven't heard a peep from him.

[@narnbrez]

must be a high frequency

[@iandeval351]

Reminds me of a story one of my physics professors told regarding the answer to an exam question he was marking. The question was to describe an experiment to prove that sound cannot travel in a vacuum. The answer he got went like this; Place a rat in a bell jar and listen to it squeaking. Now use a vacuum pump to remove all the air from the bell jar. You should no longer be able to hear the rat squeaking thus proving that sound cannot travel in a vacuum. Kind of hard to fault the logic. ;-)

[@mandolinic]

@@iandeval351 That's how Schrodinger got his cat!

[@seraphina985]

@@iandeval351 Having experienced a hypobaric chamber the irony is I suspect the rat would be squeaking complaints long enough to give usable data. At a reduction rate of 5-10 kPa/min mammals like us and rats are easily vocal down to 50kPa or even lower, cognitively useful in their communications less so but they can still make plenty of noise only they will be rambling like a drunkard by that point.

[@freejulianassange3143]

KZbin potentially paying guys like this for making real contributions to people's understanding and such practical demonstrations that can inspire young and old alike make me much happier for the future of our species than anything else I see around lately. Bravo. 8)

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@thedevilinthecircuit1414]

"Hey dad, can I put this bag down now? It's getting light."

[@Flightstar]

This is all very fascinating, but what boggles my mind is how you keep your workspace so uncluttered and organized.

[@Dust599]

tidy desk = person without enough to do!

[@TechIngredients]

Ya, right. "Abstemious and tidy...just clear. I knew what I needed to do and how to do it"

[@BrightBlueJim]

My guess: this is his video demo lab. His REAL lab looks more lived-in.

[@SpenserRoger]

Nah man, the whole messy desk / productive mind analogy ala Einstein doesn't really apply to a workshop. Experience teaches you very quickly that if you don't know exactly where your tools and parts are, even if they're somewhere on the work surface or near it...you can spend CONSIDERABLY MORE time looking for those tools/ parts than you would working on or fixing any one thing--cleaning up as soon as you're done and ideally as soon as the mess/dirt/ is made and in your awareness the quicker and easier it is to clean up. Never mind the hit to motivation you take anytime you have to first clean up before you can even start working on your idea...gross.

[@nameredacted1242]

@@BrightBlueJim I think he owns a company, a warehouse/building of which we saw in LRAD "volunteer test" video. This is all staged. All "looks too good to be true" stuff these days is staged.

[@Ol2Stroker]

This is my new favorite channel. I stumbled here from AvE linking to your speaker video. Excellent work and presentation, I love all the detail.

[@firexgodx980]

I love how detailed yet clear these videos are

[@martinvarghese6713]

The impedance matching explanation with the balls were simply awesome...Thanks

[@loganthesaint]

I do not know who you are, but I am so glad your channel popped up in my feed. I love all of your videos so far, you are an incredibly intelligent person, thank you for sharing knowledge.

[@Yourtoxicity]

I love the depth covered in this. I'm coming from Cody's Lab, who sent us this way. Keep up the good work!

[@TechIngredients]

That's good too hear! We enjoy his videos a great deal and its interesting that in many ways we think alike. Oh, and we will.

[@davidraborn3654]

Real Science. I love it. Thank you so much. Best video I have seen on KZbin.

[@TechIngredients]

We keep learning. Consolidating diverse information and presenting a condensed and integrated video demonstration takes a little doing. Simultaneously, we're trying to improve the production quality as well. But, I'm not complaining, this is a blast and if I might... "you ain't seen nothin yet".

[@kassie2k4]

this is by far the best science video i have ever seen on youtube, thank you very much

[@martinda7446]

Please see ''Measured and calculated transmission losses of sound waves through a helium layer'' NASA 1973 - As usual (almost) nothing new under the sun. When things were new, when Peter Walker was making his electrostatic speakers in the 1950s he discovered that a thin mylar film stretched tightly would become transparent to sound, and that allowed him to make his speakers practical, and reminded me of the bag you used. It is finding an application for interesting ideas that is often more difficult, and having dabbled myself with inventing- finding something nobody thought of before is just like striking gold and just as difficult.

[@C-M-E]

You are not wrong, friend. I learned at an early age that a hundred years ago, I could have been a titan of industry.

[@mckenziekeith7434]

Very interesting. I am also wondering if there is something going on at the speaker to helium interface also. I believe that the mechanical work done by the voice coil moving in helium (assuming same frequency and physical amplitude) is much less than it would be in air. By conservation of energy, this implies that the acoustic wave generated by the speaker in the helium inherently possesses less energy than the wave in air. You might want to measure the electrical power delivered to the speaker in helium and in air (just for fun). My thinking is that it ought to consume less power when immersed in helium. Maybe another way to say it is that putting the speaker in helium probably transforms the speaker impedance from, say, 8 ohms to a much higher value. Came here from Cody's lab. Subscribed.

[@phillipstai7204]

Your channel just keeps getting better and better. Came for panel speakers a while back and will be around for whatever comes in the future.

[@TechIngredients]

Great!

[@z11542]

Love watching your videos. You convey in such a comprehensible manner. Being brilliant doesn't hurt your style either.

[@Durgemonger]

Fascinating. I think the triple glazing would work. I wonder if helium bubble-wrap could be made and used as a sound deadening installation in walls.

[@jakefriesenjake]

Or multiple layers of the thinner bubble wrap. Using higher quality plastics. That would be awesome

[@Sarconthewolf]

Crewman "Hey, captain, I'm having a hard time hearing the spaceships engine all of a sudden." Captain " Oh no, we must have a helium leak. Red alert."

[@thepauloftroy]

This is probably my favorite channel on youtube. Your explanations are so thorough and detailed, but also easy to understand. Thanks for the great ideas. About the helium windows - I think the dampening effects of impedance matching might be reduced, given that the glass is heavy enough to be non-negligible. The equation for transmission into the glass might be dominated by the mass of the glass, and not depend so much on whether there's air or helium on the other side. The reduced mass effect of the helium would still come into play however, assuming the glass would be driven at the same amplitude in either case. This is analogous to your demonstration of the speaker and clip mic at ~8m. It seems like the impedance effect is lost because the sound is traveling from membrane to membrane (speaker to mic), but the mass effect remains. It would be interesting to work out the equations...

[@donblub]

in nearly every video i watch from this channel, i learn something.

[@nzpork1]

Great idea. Helium is pesky to retain as you mentioned. I can imagine windows with grease nipple type connectors on them and every 5 years you ring the helium guy and he comes round and tops up your windows.

[@JesusisJesus]

You could actually drill into the aluminium frame of a double glazed window and install tyre valves.

[@sailingsolar]

Containing helium only leaks out of an area if it's under pressure. Once the pressure is equal to outside pressure no more helium will escape UNLESS it is replaces by another gas. It can't escape causing a negative pressure and no other gasses will migrate in. There will be no need to recharge.

[@theCodyReeder]

hydrogen would be cheaper and should work better (little flammable though) which is good because it will leak out regardless of pressure differential. as far as helium/hydrogen is concerned it is always surrounded by vacuum.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Good point. I was wondering about the leakage problem myself, but even if there's diffusion THROUGH the glass, it would eventually reach equilibrium, and no more leakage would happen. Seems like this might result in a slightly lower pressure inside than out, but probably pretty small.

[@blg53]

Helium would make piss poor heat insulation though. In fact it's one of the best heat conductors among gases hence its usage in Stirling engines.

[@addrakettp]

Here and subscribing because of Cody's lab. Great stuff!

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks a lot. Hope you enjoyed it, we have some interesting videos coming up.

[@HebaruSan]

There was so much planning for all the various props and experiments, but then the execution didn't feel scripted, very nicely done. Nice to find a new channel to subscribe to!

[@SteveOlmstead]

Wow what a great demonstration ! You make it super easy to understand !

[@Siskovski]

Cody sent me here

[@TechIngredients]

Glad you came. We;ll try not to disappoint.

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

No he didn't. He said to go to the store and you came here instead.

[@BrendaEM]

Good video and demonstration. Thanks. Oddly, I was surprised to learn that (shear strength) viscosity does not seem much of a factor of acoustic (wave transmission) coupling. Only a few gasses such as Xenon have a 2 or 3 times the viscosity than most of the others, and most of the atmospheric gasses in proportions are fairly similar in viscosity. The only issue with using helium in things--is keeping it in things, as it tends to permeate seals. Often nitrogen is used for things such as aircraft tires not only because it's nice and dry and doesn't have water vapor that will freeze and cause a tire to go out of round, but also the (kinetic diameter) is larger, so it's more apt to stay in the tire. [Nitrious oxide is pretty dense. compared to breathing air.] [Like most normal people (humor, thin at that) I've wanted to build a high-vacuum rig, with a turbo molecular pump, for coating mirrors. There are silicone oil diffusion pumps as well. Both capture the molecules that happen by, in a Brownian kind of way. I have always been fascinated that gasses become stuck in metals, which becomes a problem in high-vacuum conditions, and also is a a mechanism of function for some batteries.]

[@TechIngredients]

For retaining helium it's pretty much down to metal, glass and ceramics. The metal layers can be very thin, but not without limit. A space blanket has a metal coating that is too thin, but better than clear polyester. A helium leak detector is a good tool when building up a high vacuum system. Although I have always wanted to work with a turbo pump, a surplus diffusion pump, thoroughly cleaned, filled with a low vapor pressure oil and the key- a large, high surface area cold trap is great for coating mirrors. We coated numerous astronomical mirrors this way.

[@gongalegodabanda4055]

Channel is expanding actually not because of us but mostly because of you guys. You are doing a great job and the way you explain things is very nice and clear. Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge.

[@texw4062]

what a wonderful demonstration!

[@dwcalex]

Cody sent me here :)

[@TechIngredients]

We're glad he did! We've got some interesting videos coming up, hope you'll stay.

[@wb6wsn]

I think it would be interesting to see the effects of helium on the overtones, in your voice or the flute, if you displayed a microphone response on a spectrum analyzer (both in and out of the helium).

[@TechIngredients]

That's a very good idea. Never tried a mic on our spectrum analyzer, but the concept is interesting. I'll talk to our radio guy about this.

[@wb6wsn]

I like dedicated spectrum analyzers, but you likely have a decent digital oscilloscope with an FFT already in your lab. Your sound meter may have an analog output. You could also go the poor-man's route by using your computer's sound input.

[@kcutoob]

The freeware program "Audacity" has a spectrum analyzer in it, and many other tools. It is cross platform too. You would need to record the sound first, then analyze the recording, I don't think it works "live". Anyone interested in sound should have a copy on their computer! Great videos!@@TechIngredients

[@Stiggandr1]

I've been drawing up plans for a sensor deprivation chamber. Sound leakage was one of the biggest issues I was doing research on to tackle. So fortunate this showed up on my recommended list!

[@eugeneputin1858]

This is absolutely amazing! Ive never done a patreon donation before but willing to make an account just to donate on a monthly basis! keep em coming!!!

[@zulumax1]

Helium/H2O/Helium barrier layers? Water does not like to compress like air. Science is cool! Helium could also be used to contain sound energy in acoustic suspension loudspeaker systems since sound bounces around inside the sealed box and finds it's way out right through the cone of the loudspeaker. A sealed air bladder of some kind perhaps.

[@fenderstratguy]

Brilliant and cheap! Seawater is even denser. Helium/seawater/helium

[@argonpathart4938]

Interesting note: The first noble gases were discovered during a study of acoustics.

[@fex144]

soon, the noble gas was promoted to being a royal gas, and eventually even imperial gas. But then came metric and it became metric gas, and metric gas doesn't sound as cool, so metric gas has a warmer sound.

[@michaelrose93]

Actually, helium was first discovered by looking at the sun through a spectroscope.

[@firstmkb]

Arise, ye ignoble gasses, and force a reaction from the nobility!

[@pjwlk]

I wouldn't have believed your claim without watching your demonstrations. Thanks!

[@dansund1458]

Great episode! Thank you!

[@PinwheelHomes]

While watching this, it brings up another great topic for a future video. @17:57 you say "Reducing sound by one hundred fold, 20dB...", that's such a tricky thing to say. Reducing the sound level by 10dB is a _perceived_ reduction of half the volume (or turned around, increasing 10dB is a perceived doubling of the volume). Decreasing noise levels by 20dB would therefor only be a perceived volume reduction of 4 times. Increasing the energy to a speaker two fold, only increases it's output by 3dB. However, a 10dB is a power ratio of 10. A lot of little nuances to be considered when talking about dB.

[@TechIngredients]

Db are simply a logarithmic scale of sound pressure or energy, just as optical density is a logarithmic scale for light transmission. These are actual ratios of energy in watts or ergs or whatever. The human ear does not respond to sound pressure or energy linearly, but rather logarithmicly. This is a very good thing and probably contributed to our survival as a species. We can detect the faint sounds of a stealthy predator and survive a thunderclap.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Still, most hearing protectors I've seen only do 30-40 dB of attenuation. The rule of thumb that -10 dB sounds like about 1/2 the volume, though, is highly subjective, and I would question that. 30 dB is a pretty significant reduction in perceived volume - I would call it much lower than 1/8 the volume.

[@BrightBlueJim]

K: Correction to your correction: the 20 * log of a ratio has nothing to do with sound measurements. It has to do with whether the measurements are power or voltage. dB is always an indication of power. Since power increases with the square of voltage, multiplying the voltage by 10 gives you 100 times the power. So increasing voltage by a factor of 10 gives you 20 * log(10) = 20 dB increase in power. Sound meters measure power, so a 10 dB increase means 10 x the power.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Clarification to correction... "Field quantities" ARE power quantities. In the case of sound, it's a combination of pressure and velocity, which multiply to make power. Yes, they're measuring it using pressure, but the dB still relate to a power, so x10 = +10 dB. Back to you.

[@michaelandbrytanyjordan7573]

Thank you for this. I could tell that the message you were trying to deliver was tough to clarify, but I understood.

[@qm3ster]

Glad I immediately understood how it's happening based on the properties.

[@BestYouTubeVids123]

Helium... it's not toxic, but it doesn't support life. lol

[@maddpeanut6313]

Only difficult to understand by those who also think CO2 is a pollutant.

[@edg6779]

I don't care if Cody sent you here.

[@B24Fox]

This channel is pure gold!!

[@troggmoffie]

yes and thank you. please continue. I hope the channel grows to enormous proportions.

[@pedroferreira4134]

Very good. Very clean demo.

[@jeremy7923]

Best view from the windows of a shop ever! What a calm fun place to be.

[@themountainraven]

Just watched this video for the first time, and I have to say, you definitely are onto something.

[@roberthamilton9426]

Love this channel! Glad AvE sent me here

[@snjsilvan]

Thank you for the excellent science class! I love it.

[@perpetualengine]

Been subscribed. Channel is the shop teacher I never had!

[@dmartinsca]

Great videos! Keep them coming!!

[@ernestoperez717]

I find this extremely interesting. Keep up the great research!!!

[@fredrikmixer]

Great for building recording studios! How interesting. Thank you for the video! Great work!

[@EverH0p3]

Subscribing is an absolute privilege. Thank you for making these amazing lectures. You are making things I find incredibly interesting but thought way out of my intellectual range, understandable. Awesome.

[@hangwithdoug]

This is a really awesome idea. Thank you for sharing this!

[@josephf151]

This was a fantastic video, your explanations were amazing, and the demonstrations worked perfectly. I never put much thought into using helium for noise deadening, Now I really want to apply it.

[@TechIngredients]

Me too.

[@garyashford]

This is fantastic stuff. My bedroom window is on a main road through our town and traffic noise is a pain. I now have ideas now on how to reduce that noise more effectively. Thank you.

[@SteveSorgatz]

Thanks.You are doing all the fun things that got me kicked out of honors chemistry in high school 50+ years ago.

[@TechIngredients]

Sure. What's coming may have gotten you kicked out of school all together!

[@reeeeeverblu]

Always amazed by your work

[@kschleic9053]

I am listening to a book called "where good ideas come from" and a portion of the book describes how a person with many varying interests or who is frequently exposed to many varying subjects is more likely to have great ideas, because of the brains tendency to try to develop associations of new concepts with other recently considered concepts "in the back of your mind"... This idea of yours is a perfect example. Who knows if it would have come to you if you hadn't already been thinking about noise suppression for your APU? I found you from a reference on AvE and have been listening to your videos all afternoon while I work... Great content for unlikely association of ideas:)

[@paulh6467]

Great video! Wonderfully explained

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@matermangros]

this would be great for sound studio design ...I could even see microphone design incorporating some of these uses of helium...keep up the great work!

[@michalwisler9616]

Extremely useful,Thanks for sharing

[@PcPete123]

As always, such a well produced and delivered video. I've used helium in a high technology production test environment, It has some very interesting properties. Thank you yet again, for making most entertaining channel on KZbin.

[@BaileyEvans]

Love this channel!

[@mikesimons1544]

You beat watching news in the morning ! Starting watching you for the drone electric motor, but happy with you wandering all over the place. Your work area looks amazing too, except for the snow outside.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks! Don't watch the news, make the news and if it wasn't snowing we might not be thinking.

[@OBoneKanOB]

Your videos are awesome. Better than going to college lectures because I can pause and rewind if I don't get it the first time. This is the future of education.

[@TechIngredients]

Thank you! And, I agree wholeheartedly with your prediction.

[@geohiker9196]

Great experiments. I used to play with helium, in college, but my understanding much better from your video.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@alexandertaylor2951]

Recently I was watching a youtube video about that. Glad to see that you thought of it before I did. Good vid

[@forrestgump5959]

LOVE YOUR CHANNEL!!!

[@pointer333]

Excellent video! Well shot, well presented, perfectly explained. Thank you for talking about sound! Often so neglected.

[@TechIngredients]

You're welcome.

[@josephthibeault4843]

Learning something new everyday thanks.

[@bismuth7730]

What an amazing channel.

[@quinkin1000]

I am here from Cody's Lab. An outstanding demonstration, thank you. I have subscribed.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks, I'm glad you came! We'll make it worth your while.

[@pablomax3045]

How have I never seen this channel before?? This guy is super interesting to watch.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks! Better late than never. Spread the word and link to our videos as KZbin tends to promote other channels where the ad revenue is greater.😀

[@dacelooper]

Great information as always!

[@SammyCopeOfficial]

wonderful stuff here guys

[@flintstoneengineering]

Helium filled bubble wrap or mylar..... endless applications. Exelent video.

[@lapk78]

I'm a High School Calculus teacher, but am interested in many of the topics your videos cover. Just earlier today I discovered your channel and enjoyed your video on making high quality speakers for $30. I must say that your presentations are very, very good. I do not know anything about you, but I hope that in addition to your KZbin students, that you are fortunate enough to have your own set of non-virtual students to whom you teach. They would be very fortunate to have you as their teacher. Thank you for the clear, concise, and interesting content. I look forward to exploring the rest of your channel.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks.

[@stephenwilson8150]

First video I've ever seen of you (to the best of my knowledge), easily earned my subscription.

[@TechIngredients]

Thank you!

[@ronjaybarnett]

Brilliant! Thank you

[@chaoticature]

Mr Cody suggested I head here and I do believe I’m happy to have done so. We can never have too much science & wonder.

[@TechIngredients]

Glad you did. I agree.

[@robspencer5829]

I love this idea. You could make a home studio and help isolate it from outside noise. It will be interesting to see how effective it will be compared to things that are currently available and rather expensive.

[@darrenfulwood3766]

Yes brilliant. The dissipating of the hexaflouride or helium would be an interesting monitor. Interested in this as it might help the fact that i live next to a busy main road. Good video.

[@stevesteveson2537]

Definitely subscribed. This was awesome.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks a lot!

[@BillM1960]

Excellent explanation!

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@Waterman-wv2jx]

The reason the channel is expanding...YOU. Keep up the excellent work.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@rolandocrisostomo2003]

Great video, I like your shop.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@dougdegirolamo525]

You are frigging AMAZING!!!

[@christopherbenetatos5123]

Always great content 👍

[@ralph72462]

I really enjoy watching your channel it is instructive and innovative always leaving me hungry for more. Great experiments!

[@stevensunshine13]

Holy cow. This was a great video. Earned the subscribe for sure.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@palarious]

You just explained three scientific concepts that most people never even think about in a wonderfully approachable manner, then introduced real world implications. Fantastic job.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@JonathanLaRiviere]

16:19 incredible visual demonstration on WHY the volume is attenuated. This man is the physics teacher for the rest of us.

[@DerKrawallkeks]

Now this is amazing:)

[@TechIngredients]

Glad you liked it!

[@beachboardfan9544]

Top notch vid 👍 just earned a new subscriber

[@gertbenade3082]

Hello TI! Thank you once again for a great video! As a side note: I had the opportunity a while back to perform the same Donald Duck 'experiment' but with SF-6 gas. SF-6 being about 5 times heavier than air, I distinctly sounded like Darth Vader which demonstrates the opposite side of the scale. Keep up the great videos!

[@aidanmarshall333]

Never stop, love your content. Been following for a long time, I'm a decade old PL user.

[@TechIngredients]

Thanks!

[@aidanmarshall333]

Follow up, what is (was?) your profession? I'm insanely jealous of your workshop, it's bigger than my house. My workshop is only 12x8ft!

[@TechIngredients]

When we moved here, we cleared the trees and had the timber milled, designed the lab/shop (of course we did) and built it from those trees. Wish it were bigger as the projects have grown to fit the available space as might be expected.

[@goreacraft]

Found about this video from Cody'sLab. Great detailed video = subscribed. Thank you

[@TechIngredients]

You're welcome! Thanks for coming.

[@jake5993]

I love this channel