• Question: Why does helium make you're voice go high pitched?

    Asked by steve823 to Pete, Rebecca, SallyB, Sally, Sian on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Rebecca Randell

      Rebecca Randell answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      It’s the change the tone of the voice. I’m not too sure how but i love doing that it sounds so funny

    • Photo: Sally Fenton

      Sally Fenton answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      helium is less dense than the air we normally breathe. sound travels in waves and the waves travel faster in the air when it is less dense.So…. If we breathe in helium this will make the air we have breathed in less dense so the waves will travel faster…therefore you increase the speed of sound of your voice…and this affects the frequencies (high and low sounds) which make up your voice…which is why your voice sounds higher!

    • Photo: Peter Styring

      Peter Styring answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I believe it is because the He atoms are less dense than the air molecules we usually breath and this causes the vocal chords to vibrate at a higher natural frequency.

    • Photo: Sian Lawson

      Sian Lawson answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      Helium is less dense thatn air, so your vocal cords vibrate faster.

Comments