Helmholtz Resonance in Korean Bells

• Main Author: Junghyun Kim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: StudentScientists.org 2017-01-01
• Series: International Scholastic Journal of Science
• Subjects: Korean bell; Helmholtz resonance; resonance well; air gate
• Online Access: http://www.isjos.org/index.php?paper=Helmholtz+Resonance+in+Korean+Bells

Traditional Korean bells are installed above a shallow well with a gap between the bell and the ground, effectively creating a Helmholtz resonator. During installation, the size of the well and the gap is traditionally adjusted, through trial and error, until the Helmholtz frequency matches the fundamental frequency of the bell. Here, the frequency of the Helmholtz resonator in Korean bells was investigated. Models of the resonator with various dimensions were built, and their resonant frequency measured. An equation for the Helmholtz frequency of the resonator was developed, which predicts the frequency of Korean bells within 4%. The equation can be used by traditional Korean bell installers to design the well and gap to ensure that the Helmholtz frequency of the resonator matches the fundamental frequency of the bell.