How to Make a Simple Speaker (Physics)

In this science experiment you can do at home, we walk through how to make a simple electric speaker. Using a Styrofoam bowl, card stock paper, electrical tape, and a few scientific materials, we create a simple speaker that uses an electromagnet to convert the flow of electrons into vibrations (which we interpret as sound)! To use this experiment for a science fair project, consider questions like: How many coils of wire create the loudest speaker? What distance between the neodymium magnet and the speaker produces the clearest results?
The reason we are using around 12m of 32 gauge magnet wire is that this will give us around 6 ohms of resistance and this should prevent the electromagnet from overheating during use. Even with the correct resistance do not leave this speaker running unsupervised.
Attaching it to a 3.5mm plug will produce some sound similar to a headphone but to turn up the volume plug your speaker into a surround sound unit which gives a greater output.
▶️ Get supplies to make your own electric speaker:
www.beardedsci...
▶️ Procedures
1. Place several neodymium magnets on a steel surface.
2. Make a tube out of construction paper just larger than the neodymium magnets.
3. Take one end of the tube and wrap it with a piece of tape, sticky side facing outward.
4. Take this piece of tape and wrap it with 12 meters of 32-gauge magnet wire. Be sure to leave about a foot at either end of the magnet wire in order to make connections.
❗️ NOTE: Make sure to tape this magnet wire in place so it does not come loose during the experiment.
5. Take the paper end of the tube and cut it into four sections
6. Tape the cut end of the tube to the bottom of the styrofoam bowl.
7. Create folded paper springs by cutting 3 in x .5 in strips of paper and folding 4-5 times.
8. Attach paper springs to the bottom of the bowl so that the coil can slide up and down freely over the neodymium magnets.​
7. Sand the coating off the loose ends of the magnet wire and attach it to either a surround sound or a 3.5mm headphone plug.
8. Choose a song to play through the speakers.

[@camronjosephcrooks]

Well done. However, when you download music you're downloading the data that digitally represents the waveform. The flow of electrons that are the waveform being fed to the voice coil doesn't happen until the data is processed and spit out by the DAC. Before that it's just numbers. Although, electrons do play a part in computing and data, just not in the same fashion required for a speaker to function.

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+Camron Crooks Yeah, but my goal was to teach how electromagnetism is related to speakers instead of how the code is transferred and processed to create the electromagnetism. I thought it would get confusing to explain how the code is transferred and processed.

[@benjamightus]

thanks this will be fun to do with the kids over the weekend

[@vaibhavgupta20]

amazing. you should get more views.

[@crimsonmoth]

This is so cool! I homeschool my daughter so I subscribed and will be using your videos for science experiments. I'll be looking for your website, too. Thank you!

[@Zodiak34]

dope. Itd be nice if for each step youd explain what parameters can be changed and how it will affect the result (ex.: size of magnet, cone material, etc)

[@TheStrayfa]

+Zodiak34 you probably do you that yourself pretty now though. i know im gonna try this!

[@psydex]

Mind -> BLOWN!

[@fradfive5467]

Like si vienes de "Un Poco De Todo"

[@-d4v3-13]

En vez de dar like doy denuncia

[@thechanotv8202]

LAIN ZY BYENEZ POR UM POKO DI TODO 😒😒😡😡😡👊👊👊👊

[@fradfive5467]

@@thechanotv8202 asies 😎👌

[@Korkskruv]

vengo de parte de UN POCO DE TODO uwu

[@fradfive5467]

XD

[@tomyux07]

×2

[@-d4v3-13]

X3

[@zman92630]

The 3.5mm jack wiring was the source of our issues, so do the following.... The entire length of the jack to the wire tips should not exceed 4 inches. This reduces resistance and keeps the electron flow stronger by the time it reaches the magnets/coil Our jack had a ground (bare) wire, and a white and red wire. We connected the jack ground wire to the negative coil wire and the white jack wire to the positive coil wire. We cut off the red wire. It worked great. Best of luck.

[@milos1583]

Great job man, subscribed. You deserve much more subs, i will share your videos everywhere :)

[@ralbattablar9817]

What if I only have about 6 meters of wire? Can I compensate by having a larger battery?

[@sceptir2784]

hey i know i should listen properly to the video but i wish he would put the items/instructions in the description or a link to a document that has it just making a suggestion for the content creator oh and love the vids

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+mythical owl I am working on a website right now.

[@sceptir2784]

thats cool

[@sunlightevidence4359]

Can i skip using the magnet if I just want to bombard the copper ring with a sound frequency?

[@jordanvenckus]

Fantastic

[@agent3063]

Will normal circular magnets work ?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Yes but the strength of the magnetic field determines the strength of vibration so regular magnets will make a very very quiet sound.

[@livster0344]

Love this

[@brinatiffanyyy3277]

Hi whatt size of magnets did u use?

[@adrianmore1132]

Does the magnet have to be on a metal surface? Will this mean that the speaker won't work? I'm doing the prep and getting the materials for this for my class and want to make sure that I understand this correctly before I try it out! Thanks in advance and excellent channel!

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

No, it just makes it easier to keep the magnets in the same place.

[@Anangelspath]

Sandpaper wire brilliant

[@kokotaughs]

Crazy!

[@xdspifore6758]

Hey I'm having problems when I has to conect it to the plug, I do everything with the electro magnet and it works, but to atach it to the plug doesn't work. And yes is a plug with 2 lines.

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Either the plug you are using isn't putting out much energy like a headphone plug. In that case it will work just really quietly. The second option is the electromagnet not being strong enough. That could be weaker magnets or maybe the wire isn't coiled close enough to the magnets. If you have a multimeter you could test the output to make sure it is putting out a signal and then start troubleshooting from there. Also put your ear pretty close to make sure is isn't just a volume issue. A headphone jack will always be pretty quiet unless you amplify the signal and a surround sound system will be much louder. Good luck.

[@meldrinafonso3180]

can we use any other magnet

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Other magnets will work but the sound will be quieter if there is a weaker magnetic field.

[@dimitriabujamra2211]

+BeardedScienceGuy yes thats so true

[@debrandon172]

What are the measurements for the magnets

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

It doesn't actually matter that much but 1cm in diameter is a nice size to work with.

[@mayraleon9143]

I’m quite confused at the part where you explain to leave 1 foot on either end of the wire for connections but then when you make the connections you have two ends, where does the other end come from? We tried doing this but it’s not working, and also... do you need any specific type of tape?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

When making the connections you have both ends of the wire and make sure you have sanded off the insulated coating where you are making the connections. The tape is nothing special but the volume from the audio source sometimes needs to be turned up to the maximum. This is especially true playing music from a phone, a surround sound system puts out more power to the speaker and is easier to hear.

[@mayraleon9143]

BeardedScienceGuy I must be doing something wrong, it’s not working on the part where you test it with the battery and we need to get it done by next week!😩 do you think its the magnets or wire?

[@GunterTCbba]

wow awesome

[@mariemaano]

Would like to make something similar, is there anything else (maybe a lower gauge) i can use instead of 32 gauge?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+Marie Mno Other gauges will work but have different length to resistance ratios. Just be careful that the resistance doesn't get so low that the short circuit overheats.

[@HarryPotterFish]

My friend and I are trying to make this for a school project.... We have spent 5 hours doing it and each time has failed... Do you have any extra tips? Like that kind of tape or anything to look out for?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+HarryPotterFish If you hear sound but it is very quiet then try a stronger magnet or turning the volume up on the device. If you don't hear any sound at all either your electromagnet isn't close enough to the magnetic field of the permanent magnet or there is a loose wire making a break in the electrical circuit.

[@c.s_fpv789]

how many turn you rotate

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

I didn't count, I just wrapped 12 meters so that the wire had a specific resistance (6 ohms)

[@justinnaramor6050]

Important note: this comment might get long :))) It's quite impressive to know that the working principle of loudspeakers is really that simple, even if the speaker sounds a little crappy like the one in this video :)) I never actually knew how loudspeakers actually work, so videos like this give me a pretty good idea, and I like to understand how things work even if I don't have any real intention on building them :))). I've noticed in these kinds of "make a simple loudspeaker" videos that when they move the magnet closer or farther from the copper wire, the volume changes (you've mentioned this in several comments, and you also mentioned how the strength of the magnet also affects this): would you say that this is one of the factors that determines the "sensitivity" of loudspeakers and also headphones? Not only that, but I'd also venture to guess that the diaphragm that vibrates the air to make sound also has an impact on that sensitivity; if the diaphragm was lighter, thinner and so on, it would move more easily with less energy required from the amp or whatever, whereas if the diaphragm were much heavier, thicker, bigger and so on, it would take a lot more effort to really get the thing moving, and as such requires much more energy from the amp. So it seems like all of this together, the strength of the magnet, the proximity of the magnet to the copper wire, and the heavyness/thickness/size of the diaphragm all have an impact on sensitivity and therefore how much power you need to reach a usable volume. In fact, while I'm on the same topic, I can distinctly remember in 2013-2014 I was using a computer speaker that was entirely passive, and as such it was powered entirely from a headphone jack, no battery, no AC adaptor, no amplifier. And on some headphone jacks I connected it to, I could get a seemingly shit ton of volume out of the thing (didn't even have to crank the thing up all the way to even hear it... it could get loud enough to overload a little bedroom with music when I cranked it to maximum and the sound could travel even partially down the hallway... in other words, it was as if I had attached a powerful amplifier to the speaker when I really didn't), whereas on other headphone jacks it was more like a headphone, where I had to crank it up to maximum to even hear it). This is obviously because different headphone jacks have different power requirements and impedance values and so on, but the reason it was even possible to get the speaker to go that loud, even though the power was coming entirely from a headphone jack, is because of the sensitivity of that speaker. So it could either be that the speaker's permanent magnet was quite strong (and therefore a strong magnetic field exists), or that the copper wire ("voice coil" as it's often called) is in close enough proximity to the magnet, or that the diaphragm is made of a light enough material so it can be moved very easily... or... maybe it's a combination of all of the above? :))). Anyways, just thought I'd express my thoughts on this topic... it's really quite interesting to me. Feel free to reply and give your thoughts if you wish! :)))

[@jesseschultz4557]

Do you have to have neodynamic magnets to do this?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

No, other magnets will work but because of their weaker magnetic field ceramic magnets will create a quieter speaker if everything else is kept the same.

[@djhutch90]

What is the name of the song ??

[@peledophobian4540]

Daride sandstorm

[@booksareOP]

Bearded science guy, I have watched this video a hundred times and tried building this a number of times, and have spend hours on it yet its not working. I have used ferrite magnets for it, and whenever I test the electromagnet the paper tube only tilts, doesn’t go up. The rest I suspect might be the problem of the wiring since my audio jack isnt 3.5mm. What am I doing wrong? Please get back to me I have to submit this project urgently

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

I suspect that your perminant ferrite magnets don't have a strong enough magnetic field. If you put your ear really close like an ear bud distance away do you hear the sound? If so you just need either a stronger perminant magnet or an amplified signal going through the electromagnet, maybe from a surround sound system or some other amplified source. The last variable that can make a big difference is the distance between the coil and the perminant magnet. The smaller the distance the louder the sound will be as long as it can still slide back and forth. Good luck trouble shooting the problem and finding a solution. This is where the real learning happens.

[@booksareOP]

@@BeardedScienceGuy thanks I’ll try!

[@booksareOP]

@@BeardedScienceGuy In my country (India) I cant find any neodiyum magnets online or in any store. Even if I find them now I dont have the time until they arrive…. I’ll try a larger sound source

[@booksareOP]

@@BeardedScienceGuyI completely forgot to tell you, and now I am an year late, but this project was really loved in my science fair! I found neodymium magnets and it worked!

[@Channal1009]

Do you need to use magnet wire

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

You need insulated wire and it doesn't work well with a thick plastic insulated wire. If you have wire with very thin insulation similar to the very thin insulated coating on magnet wire it will still work.

[@animeshasthana1810]

can the 36 gauge wire be used??

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Yes, but there will be a different amount of resistance due to the different size so you will need to take that into account.

[@frankiecastelo9257]

if you use a larger neodymium magnet, will the effects be larger? and if so, how much magnet wire would you recommend? and should i use a larger gauge? let me know if you have some time!

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+Nick McCanne A larger gauge isn't ideal, and neodymium magnets will create a stronger force.

[@peter12345927]

Is the wire insulated?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+peter12345927 Yes, the wire is insulated except at the ends where you sand off the insulation.

[@peter12345927]

Okay, thanks that's what I was wondering about.

[@108daytona6]

Hey Bearded Science Guy! We are doing this experiment for a school project and for some reason it won't work. We are wondering, does the type of headphones matter? What are some common mistakes that can prevent our speaker from working? Please get back to us and thank you!

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

The strength of the magnet and a very close distance between the wire and magnet is important for an unpowered output like a headphone jack. A powered output can make up some for a weaker magnet or more distance between the wire and magnet. Also the number of coils in the wire and the wire size is important.

[@jasonwilliams8548]

what are the specs of the neodymium magnets used?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Many different sizes and grades will work but some will be louder and sound better than others. These were 8mm Diameter and 4 mm thick and there were a few stuck together. Round work the best because of the electromagnet but many sizes can work.

[@jasonwilliams8548]

I'm doing this as a science & music experiment. We're using N42 neodymium magnets that measure 6.35 mm diameter by 1.58mm. I plan for each student to stack 10 magnets together. Do you think that will work? Also, since I'm working with kids, what should I watch out for? overheating?

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Yes, exactly. You just need to make sure the wire is long enough to give some resistance, and the length needed to give the same amount of resistance will change depending on the gauge wire. Do your best with the math and then test the length of wire with your input source. Here is a chart to give you an idea of the ohms/meter resistance. The more power from your input source the more resistance you will need in your wire. www.daycounter.com/Calculators/AWG.phtml

[@jasonwilliams8548]

I just sent a message, I'm having trouble with the conversions. Please help.

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

Focus on ohms per meter for the AWG 32 wire. This will tell you how many meters you need to get a certain resistance. I used 12 meters of 32 gauge for my surround sound system in the video which provided enough resistance for the experiment but did heat up quite a bit after a minute of playing so probably wasn't enough resistance to leave the speaker connected for long periods of time. The less resistance (shorter the wire) the faster it will heat up.

[@user-bj2lr5ij1v]

How to make it louder

[@w.m.studios1190]

where can you get the batteries and wire?

[@fletcherbrowning8241]

where does the battery connect to when both ends of the copper wire are connected to a 3.5mm headphone jack.

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

It doesn't use a battery, which means the power of the speaker will be closer to an ear bud. If you use an amplified source like a surround sound system it will sound more like a very small bookshelf speaker.

[@LaLa-tn9xn]

That's amazing. I wonder why speakers cost what they do if it's this simple to make :/

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+Luvly Lux The quality of the materials and the precision in which they are put together make the sound much better quality. The speaker I built works but is raspy and doesn't sound great.

[@LaLa-tn9xn]

+BeardedScienceGuy You may have a point there 😝

[@miaborjas5tocannieborjas3d13]

trate de hacerlo y no me funciono! me quedo una masa muuuuuy dura! :-(

[@alexandremoraisf]

Hey, awesome video! but unfortunately there is a Facebook page reposting your videos. As I know you guys need viewers to get money to keep making new awesome videos like this one, I think it is important to let you know that. The page is called UNILAD Tech

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+Alexandre Morais I have allowed them to do so in an attempt to grow my KZbin base which has increased significantly. Thanks for the KZbin views and the comment!!

[@alexandremoraisf]

That's good news! I hope you achieve what you are aiming for, I find your videos really interesting. Best of luck!

[@RobertBuchanTerrey]

+BeardedScienceGuy you've gained a subscriber from it today :)

[@sakshamsingh4382]

will the phone suvive after using it

[@doomood]

Actually... When you download music.. you download a huge number, that convert it self in electricity

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+doomood Yeah, but my goal was to teach how electromagnetism is related to speakers instead of how the code is transferred and processed to create the electromagnetism.

[@android_axel]

Quien viene por un poco de todo?

[@sakshamsingh4382]

i dont want to sacrifice my phone

[@davids4767]

King of random be like "Copied"

[@BeardedScienceGuy]

+David S Pretty common physics experiment that I was doing in my classroom long before his video. He does a great job building stuff but I am hoping to explain more of the science behind the creations.

[@meldrinafonso3180]

can we use any other magnet