Paper Cup and String Telephone

You may have seen a paper cup (or tin can) and string telephone and wondered if they really worked? Can you hear a voice spoken on the other end?

This simple project sets out to see if they do work and what sort of distance they are likely to work over.

Two paper cups

Ball of string

A 'paper cup and string' telephone was made by connecting a 5 meter piece of string between two paper cups. This was done by making a hole in the base of a cup with a sharp item, threading an end of string though it and making a knot at the end so it wouldn't slip out.

The string was stretched tight (with nothing touching the string) and someone spoke into one of the cups while someone else listened from the other cup. It works! Sound was heard from the other cup.

The paper cup and string telephone was also tested over a length of 35 meters, it worked well, even whispering being heard.

Your mission (should you decide to accept it) is to see if the string telephone will work over 100 meters....