We measured the acoustic absorption, in the 0.5–6 kHz frequency range, of polyurethane foams with mean pore diameters between 0.6 and 3.2 mm. Two types of foams were investigated: classical open-cell ones versus membrane foams, in which thin polyurethane membranes were preserved during solidification. Interestingly, the latter presented better absorption abilities, indicating that membranes could be an asset for sound absorption.

A vertical soap film, freely suspended at the end of a tube, is vibrated by a sound wave that propagates in the tube. If the sound wave is a piece of music, the soap film ‘comes alive’: colours, due to iridescences in the soap film, swirl, split and merge in time with the music (see the snapshots in figure below). In this article, we analyse the rich physics behind these fascinating dynamical patterns: it combines the acoustic propagation in a tube, the light interferences, and the static and dynamic properties of soap films. The interaction between the acoustic wave and the liquid membrane results in capillary waves on the soap film, as well as non-linear effects leading to a non-oscillatory flow of liquid in the plane of the film, which induces several spectacular effects: generation of vortices, diphasic dynamical patterns inside the film, and swelling of the soap film under certain conditions. Each of these effects is associated with a characteristic time scale, which interacts with the characteristic time of the music play. This article shows the richness of those characteristic times that lead to dynamical patterns. Through its artistic interest, the experiments presented in this article provide a tool for popularizing and demonstrating science in the classroom or to a broader audience.