Boost your tunes and learn some science! With just a few simple materials, you can create a DIY phone speaker that amplifies sound waves, making your phone’s music louder. Perfect for young engineers ready to explore sound in a hands-on way!
Phone Speaker STEM Project
In this fun and simple sound STEM activity, we’ll build a DIY phone speaker using common household items. This project is a fantastic way to learn about sound waves, amplification, and the basics of engineering design. Plus, it’s easy to set up and experiment with!
Grade Level Recommendation: Grades 3-5
Supplies:
- 1 cardboard tube or paper towel roll
- 2 paper cups or plastic cups (test the difference)
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Washi tape (optional to decorate)
- Smartphone
Make a DIY Phone Speaker:
Prepare the Tube: Use a pair of scissors to cut a rectangular slit in the center of your paper towel tube. Use the bottom of your phone to trace the opening. This slit should be just large enough to hold your phone securely.
Prepare the Cups: Cut small circular holes in the sides of each cup, large enough for the tube ends to fit inside. Trace the end of the cardboard tube along the bottom of each cup to ensure a proper fit. The cups will act as sound amplifiers.
Assemble the Speaker: Insert one end of the tube into the hole in the first cup and the other end into the second cup. Ensure a snug fit, and if needed, use masking or washi tape to secure the tube to the cups.
Test the Sound: Place the base of your phone in the slot on the tube, play some music, and listen! You should notice a significant increase in volume and clarity.
💡 Give this DIY phone speaker project a try and see how much you can amplify your favorite tunes!
Sound Wave Science
Sound is created when something vibrates. These vibrations move through the air as waves. Think of a wave in the ocean moving up and down—similar to how sound waves travel, except they move through the air, not water.
When you play music on your smartphone, the speaker creates tiny vibrations that travel through the air in all directions. These sound waves are quite small and spread out quickly, which makes the sound seem quieter.
In this DIY speaker project, we focus on sound waves, channeling them through paper towel tubes and cups. The tube guides sound waves in one direction rather than letting them spread out. Then the cups act like amplifiers, reflecting sound waves inside and amplifying them. As the sound waves bounce off the cup and exit, they emerge more powerfully, making the music sound louder to our ears.
When you listen through your DIY speaker, you hear the sound waves more focused and amplified. This shows how engineers use materials and design to control sound and make it louder or clearer. This kind of science can be found in real speakers, headphones, and even large concert sound systems!
👉 Try this simple hands-on sound waves demonstration.
Extension Activities:
- Experiment with Different Sizes: Try using larger or smaller cups to see how the size affects sound amplification.
- Add Decorations: Customize the speaker with washi tape, paint, or markers to make it uniquely yours, and test whether the decorations affect the sound quality.
- Explore Sound Science: Research different types of speakers and how professional speaker designs utilize similar principles for amplifying sound.
More Sound Science Activities to Explore
Find more hands-on activities that investigate sound waves, volume, and how sound travels in our Sound Science for Kids hub.
Looking for more hands-on activities? Explore our collection of physics experiments for kids that investigate sound, energy, and motion.
Turn this activity into a full sound unit.
If your students loved this experiment, expand it into a complete sound science study with 8 investigations, recording pages, and guiding questions already done for you.
