Ask a physicist anything. (3)

[AV1611VET]

Anyone know what the fastest vibrating machine is and what it is used for?

A piccolo? used for special effects in an orchestra.

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

Your industrial boring equipment is probably an ultrasonic cleaner/bath. I've seen some upwards of 18000 vibrations per minute. They probably get higher. used to clean delicate jewelery by cavitation. I use them for temperature sensitive extractions of essential oils from plants.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Your industrial boring equipment is probably an ultrasonic cleaner/bath. I've seen some upwards of 18000 vibrations per minute. They probably get higher. used to clean delicate jewelery by cavitation. I use them for temperature sensitive extractions of essential oils from plants.

300 Hz doesn't seem like an awfully powerful vibrator

 

[AV1611VET]

300 Hz doesn't seem like an awfully powerful vibrator

The alto sarrusophone can exceed 900 Hz.

 

[Cabal]

The acousto-optic modulators I use in the lab have a piezo crystal that can go at a few hundred MHz. No doubt there are higher-frequency mechanical oscillators.

 

[Resha Caner]

Anyone know what the fastest vibrating machine is and what it is used for?

I don't know if it's the fastest, but sonic dental cleaners are advertized at 42 kHz. Do I win something if I found the highest frequency?

(edit: Oops. It looks like Cabal beat me.)

 

[AV1611VET]

I don't know if it's the fastest, but sonic dental cleaners are advertized at 42 kHz. Do I win something if I found the highest frequency?

I think the cesium atom is the granddaddy of them all.

 

[Resha Caner]

I think the cesium atom is the granddaddy of them all.

D'oh! You're right. Atomic clocks go at 9 billion Hz or somewhere around there.

 

[Cabal]

I think the cesium atom is the granddaddy of them all.

Not even close, actually - an atomic clock signal is a microwave signal, which is teeeny frequency-wise. If we're counting atoms excited by radiation as mechanical oscillators, then probably some mental gamma-ray transition or other is teh winnar.

 

[Chesterton]

This guy's a pretty good vibrator:

YouTube - WORLD RECORD GUITAR SPEED 2007

 

[Steffenfield]

You guys give me giggles with all of your answers!

Must be because of the hangover.

Thanks boys!

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Not even close, actually - an atomic clock signal is a microwave signal, which is teeeny frequency-wise. If we're counting atoms excited by radiation as mechanical oscillators, then probably some mental gamma-ray transition or other is teh winnar.

Caesium has a vibration in the megahertz... that's more impressive than anything sited thus far Quantum phenomena, like vibrating quark-antiquark mesons have vibrational frequencies high into the PHz range.

 

[Resha Caner]

Quantum phenomena, like vibrating quark-antiquark mesons have vibrational frequencies high into the PHz range.

I assumed we were talking about real things.

 

[Chesterton]

I assumed we were talking about real things.

He's a theoretical physicist. I think reality is a bit of a mundane concept to him.

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

ultrasonic cleaners go as high as -40kHz in some.

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

Oh and chemistry wise the fastest vibrations I know of are X-H bonds around 1014hz.

 

[Cabal]

Caesium has a vibration in the megahertz... that's more impressive than anything sited thus far

I thought AV was claiming it was THE highest, not the highest cited. Besides, he totally stole my wild card for this thing

Quantum phenomena, like vibrating quark-antiquark mesons have vibrational frequencies high into the PHz range.

Ah, curse my limited knowledge of spectroscopy! I'm only familiar with electronic transitions.

 

[Wiccan_Child]

I assumed we were talking about real things.

Whatever gave you that idea?

He's a theoretical physicist. I think reality is a bit of a mundane concept to him.

Reality is just so bland. Give me superdimensional sillystring any day!

ultrasonic cleaners go as high as -40kHz in some.

Minus 40 kilohertz? Impressive

 

[Cabal]

Caesium has a vibration in the megahertz...

Oh, and GHz, btw

 

[Wiccan_Child]

Oh, and GHz, btw

Oh hush