The Anatomy of a Trumpet

Nathan Anderson/4th Academic

Paper

Sheet music is simply paper. Paper is made mostly out of elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Since paper is made from trees, it also has cellulose: (C6H10O5)n, hemicellulose,and lignin: (C9H10O2,C10H12O3,C11H14O4) molecules within itself. Paper also contains non-organic materials to improve its properties including chalk, (CaCO3) and kaolin clay,(Al2Si2O5(OH)4), as a filler. Titanium oxide (TiO2) is also used in paper for getting its white color. Every day, U.S. paper-makers recycle enough paper to fill a 15 mile long train of boxcars. Paper was invented by the Chinese around 105 A.D. and was kept a secret for many years.

Plastic

ABS, Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is a plastic that is easy to machine and fabricate. In a trumpet mute, this plastic, (C8H8·C4H6·C3H3N)n,is used to change the sound of the instrument and make it quieter. This plastic consists of 50% styrene: C8H8, with 25% butadiene: C4H6, and 25% acrylonitrile: C3H3n. This ABS plastic is also used in modern-day Legos.

Some good characteristics include:

• Excellent impact resistance

• Good strength and stiffness

• Relatively low cost

Finger Buttons

The finger buttons are made of mother of pearl, a.k.a Calcium Carbonate. Calcium carbonate is composed of three elements which are of importance for all material on our planet: carbon:12%, oxygen:48% and calcium:40%. Calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), is a compound. Mother of Pearl is a first anniversary gemstone and a stress relieving stone.

Introduction

Cork

Brass

The trumpet is an instrument and a member of the Brass Family. This simply means it is made of brass. Sound is made by buzzing into a mouthpiece, sending air through 3 valves.

The first part I researched was the most obvious: Brass. It is what most of the instrument is made of, and what most people think of when they hear the word "Trumpet". Brass is a metal alloy consisting of the elements zinc and copper. Yellow brass, the kind in trumpets, has 30% zinc and 70% copper. The melting point of yellow

brass is between 1,652 and 1,724 degrees Farenheit, and the more zinc present, the lighter the color. Brass is a solid solution/mixture. It is not chemically bonded.

The other main ingredient in a trumpet mute is cork. Made from the bark of a tree, Quercus suber, or the cork oak, cork is an organic material. The cork holds the mute in the bell of the trumpet. Oak is made of cellulose: (C6H10O5)n, hemicellulose,and lignin: (C9H10O2,C10H12O3,C11H14O4). These three all contain varying levels of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). The cork oak can grow to heights of 65 feet and spread around 40 feet wide. A single cork oak can live up to 200 years, and be stripped of its bark 16 times. The cork making process from start to finish is very tedious and can take up to a year to produce.

The Anatomy of a Trumpet