Penn State researchers model the acoustic properties of the Liberty Bell

Researchers at Penn State University have constructed acoustic models to recreate the original sound of the Liberty Bell, Ars Technica reported. The iconic historic symbol has not been rung in 180 years due to its distinctive crack. The project was launched in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. [1]

To analyze the sound of the bell, researchers performed modal analysis on a twentieth century replica housed at Penn State Behrend, Ars Technica said. Modal analysis measures the structural vibration characteristics and natural frequencies of an object. The preliminary findings were presented at an Acoustical Society of America meeting in Philadelphia earlier this year, followed by a publication in Physics Today. [1]

Commissioned in March 1751 by the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly, the bell was cast by London's Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 1752, according to Grokipedia. The 2,080-pound bell was made from traditional bell metal, a bronze alloy consisting primarily of copper and tin for structural strength and resonance. It arrived in Philadelphia in August 1752 and cracked during its inaugural test ringing. [4]

The metal was then recast by local founders John Pass and John Stow, Grokipedia reported. The Liberty Bell was originally located in the steeple of the Pennsylvania State House, according to Wikipedia. Today, the bell resides in the Liberty Bell Center in Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia. [3][4]