DJ Axel Boman is releasing an unusual album of electronic music
with a twist. His gets his sounds from the Radioactive
Orchestra. Have a listen to this:
Now you can make music out of radiation too! Radioactive
Orchestra is one of the most fun - and distracting - sites on
the web. Have a go and see what music you can make! Here's a pic of
my first attempt:
Where does the music come from?
Radioactive Orchestra converted radiation emitted by isotopes
into musical notes. Atoms of the same element come in different
forms, called isotopes. Some isotopes are
unstable, normally because there are too many protons or neutrons
in the nucleus. Unstable isotopes try to become stable by getting
rid of particles or energy from the nucleus. This is a type of
radiation - ionising radiation. Ionising radiation
can knock electrons off other atoms that it hits, meaning that it
can be harmful to living things. However, ionising radiation can
also be used to treat cancer and in medical imaging.
In the Radioactive Orchestra, the energy of the radiation given
off by the isotope determines what the music sounds like. High
energy radiation is translated into a high-pitched note, whereas
low energy radiation is translated into a low-pitched note. Put
different isotopes together and you can create something that
sounds awesome! Go to Radioactive
Orchestra to make your own music out of radiation.
Find out more about ionising radiation on physics.org.