Why does helium make voices high

What does change is the sound quality of your voice, known to musicians as timbre. Different timbres are the reason why we can distinguish between a piano and violin playing the same note.

The sounds are the same pitch, but their tone aka sound quality or timbre are different. The human voice is made up of many different tones mixed together. At the same time, it makes the lower tones resonate less in the vocal tract. The two effects combine to create a Chipmunk-like, flat sound. Can you think of some other instances where the sound of your voice might change?

What about when you're underwater and you try to talk? We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience.

Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Why does helium change the sound of your voice? How is helium different from regular air? Can breathing helium be dangerous? Tags: See All Tags breathe , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , COPD , density , element , gas , helium , Human Body , larynx , mouth , nitrogen , nose , oxygen , science , vocal cord , voice.

Wonder What's Next? Keep learning more about helium by exploring the following activities with a friend or family member: Have you ever tried sucking helium out of a balloon?

How did it make your voice sound? Some people report sounding like a duck, while others think they sound like a squeaky mouse. What about you? What do you think your voice on helium sounds like? Would you want to sound like that all the time? Why or why not? Ask an adult friend or family member to take you on a field trip to a local party supply store. Talk with a worker about the use of helium to fill balloons. How does helium work differently than regular air?

Have they ever tried sucking in helium to change their voices? How long do helium-filled balloons stay afloat? If possible, ask if you can help fill a balloon or two! Have fun getting some up-close and personal interaction with helium! Up for a challenge?

Write a fictional story about that time you used helium to change your voice. Why did you do it? Were you an undercover spy concealing your identity? Were you a rising singing star intent on making your big debut sound super special? Were you trying to impersonate a duck or a mouse? Be as wildly creative as you can be. Have fun thinking of an imaginative explanation for why you might use helium to change your voice. When you're finished, share your story with friends and family members.

What do they think? Did you get it? Test your knowledge. Wonder Words cord vocal tone airflow harmless tract nasal tongue membrane abundant prolonged chronic larynx mucous resonate density frequency timbre Take the Wonder Word Challenge.

Join the Discussion. Nov 18, Dex Trzaska Nov 30, Why would you think that a kid would breath helium. Bluerassberry Sep 26, I think a kid would breath in helium for fun. Sep 26, Thanks for commenting, Bluerassberry! Dec 27, Hi, Dex Trzanska! Why do YOU think a kid would breathe helium? Kitty Kat May 1, May 8, Ashrafi Balloons Apr 30, Thank You! Apr 30, Jakob L Feb 20, Feb 23, Apr 18, Chase Hern Dec 20, You should do the helium challenge and post it on youtube? Jan 2, GhostMan Nov 15, Nov 19, Thanks for sharing, GhostMan!

Jun 14, Usually people do it to be funny. Isaac Jan 26, Jan 27, Karter Dec 8, I don't need helium to talk in a high pitched voice because I learned how to do it.

Dec 9, Neat, Karter! Do you like to do impressions or talk in funny ways? Oct 17, Shamar Jun 17, Jun 17, May 31, Alyanna Mar 3, What date did you make this article about Helium, i need it for my project in school. Mar 4, Aubrey muck Jan 4, Jan 5, Aubrey muck Dec 17, Dec 17, Hi, Aubrey muck! We're glad you liked this Wonder! Visit again soon! Ed Dec 1, Dec 2, Harlee W.

Dec 12, I love sucking air out of a bollon becouse its so funny when you do it makes your voice funny do you like making funny sounds. Wonderopolis Dec 12, That's funny, Harlee W.! Thanks for sharing with us! Samantha Dec 1, Nitrogen and thus air has a mass roughly seven times greater than that of helium. Nitrogen is thus denser than helium and sound waves travel through it more slowly than they do in helium.

At 20 degrees Celsius, for example, sound travels at meters a second through helium, but only at meters a second through air. Like the vibration of a drum or a violin string, the vibration frequency of the vocal cords is independent of the type of gas that surrounds them. Whereas the velocity of the sound waves is faster in helium and the wavelength greater , the frequency remains unchanged because it is determined by the vibrating vocal cords. Rather the timbre, or quality, of the sound changes in helium: listen closely next time and you will notice that a voice doesnt become squeaky but instead sounds more like Donald Duck.

It is the lesser density of the helium--which serves as the medium for the sound waves--flowing through the larynx that produces this differing quality in the voice. Answer originally posted on June 14, Sign up for our email newsletter.

Already a subscriber? Sign in.