Bell facts for kids
A bell is a simple musical instrument that makes a sound when it's hit. Most bells are made of metal, like bronze, which helps them make a clear, ringing sound. You can find bells in many places, like churches where they announce the time or call people to services. Ships often have a ship's bell to mark time or signal. Alarm bells are used to warn people about danger, like a fire. Some very large bells are kept in special tall buildings called bell towers.
Bells have been used for thousands of years all over the world. They are important for music, communication, and even as symbols.
Contents
How Bells Make Sound
When you hit a bell, it vibrates very quickly. These vibrations create sound waves that travel through the air to your ears. The shape and size of a bell affect its sound.
Parts of a Bell
A typical bell has a few main parts:
- Body: This is the main part of the bell, usually shaped like a cup or bowl.
- Clapper: This is a metal piece inside the bell that swings and hits the body to make a sound.
- Crown or Loop: This is at the top of the bell, used to hang it.
How Sound Changes
The sound a bell makes depends on several things:
- Size: Larger bells usually make deeper sounds.
- Thickness: Thicker bells often have a higher pitch.
- Material: The type of metal used affects the tone. Bronze is popular because it rings clearly.
History of Bells
Bells have a very long history. People have used them for thousands of years.
Ancient Bells
The earliest bells were made from clay or wood. Later, people started making them from metal.
- Some of the oldest metal bells come from ancient China. They were made over 3,000 years ago.
- These early bells were used in ceremonies and for music.
- Ancient Egyptians and Romans also used bells for different purposes.
Bells in Europe
In Europe, bells became very important in churches. Large bells were cast for bell towers.
- These church bells were used to call people to worship.
- They also marked the hours of the day.
- Bell ringing became a special art form, especially in England.
Different Kinds of Bells
Bells come in many shapes, sizes, and for many uses.
Church Bells
These are often very large and heavy. They are usually found in church towers.
- They can be rung by hand or by machines.
- Some church bells are famous for their size or sound.
Handbells
These are smaller bells designed to be held and rung by hand.
- People often play them in groups to create music.
- Each handbell plays a different musical note.
Other Types of Bells
- Door Bells: These let you know when someone is at your door.
- Cowbells: Farmers put these on animals so they can find them.
- Wind Chimes: These are small bells or tubes that make sounds when the wind blows.
- Alarm Bells: These warn people of danger, like a fire or an emergency.
- Ship's Bells: Used on ships to tell time or signal in fog.
Famous Bells Around the World
Many bells are famous because of their size, history, or special sound.
Big Ben
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock at the north end of the Elizabeth Tower in London, England. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the world.
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is an iconic symbol of American independence. It is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was rung to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Tsar Bell
The Tsar Bell is the largest bell in the world. It is located in Moscow, Russia. It weighs over 200 tons, but it has never been rung because it cracked during a fire.
Mingun Bell
The Mingun Bell in Myanmar is one of the largest working bells in the world. It weighs about 90 tonnes.
Images for kids
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13th c. BC bell, Shang dynasty
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Chinese bronze bell, 18th-16th century BC
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Bianzhong of Marquis Yi of Zeng, dated 433 BC.
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Mechanism of a bell hung for English full-circle ringing. The bell can swing through a full circle in alternate directions.
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English full-circle bells shown in the "down" position, in which they are normally left between ringing sessions.
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English full-circle bells shown in the "up" position.
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Wind-powered bell under temple eaves,. Banna-ji. Ashikaga, Tochigi.
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The principal harmonics of the Erfurt bell (1497) typical of a harmonically-tuned bell: strike note is E, with hum note an octave below, minor third, fifth, nominal above, and major third and perfect fifth in the second octave.
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Big Ben in the Elizabeth Tower of the British parliament.
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Petersglocke, Cologne Cathedral with person for scale
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A Warring States-era zheng (钲) bell from Baoshan 2 Tomb in Jingmen, Hubei
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This copper bell was made by pre-Columbian North American natives.
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The Glasgow 'Dead or Deid bell' of 1642
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Japanese temple bell of the Ryōanji Temple, Kyoto
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"Bell house at Shimoda" in Japan
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Buddhist bell, Rewalsar, India
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Jain bell inside temple, Chittorgarh Fort
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Temple bell and clapper. Banna-ji. Japan.
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Mingun Bell weighs 55,555 viss, or 90 tonnes.
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The World Peace Bell in Kentucky.
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Bronze jingyun bell cast in the year 711 AD, Xi'an.
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Chinese bells from the ancient Warring States, Hubei Provincial Museum, Wuhan, China.
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St. Ulrich, Memmingen
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Yongle Bell
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A bell in Chang Chun Temple, Wuhan, hanging on its pulao
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St Cuileain's Bell from Ireland, 7th-8th Century AD (British Museum)
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Bronze bell from the second half of the fourteenth century, depicting Saints Peter, Paul, John the Evangelist, and Thomas.
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Fire Bell, Glendale, Arizona.
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The bell as depicted in fine art: This triptych depicts Benkei carrying the giant bell of Mii-dera Buddhist temple up Hei-zan Mountain. – Chikanobu Toyohara, c. 1890.
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This bell is called Mii-dera no Bansho (三井寺の晩鐘), the evening bell at Mii-dera, a Buddhist temple in Otsu, which is near Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. This image shows the hanging wooden beam positioned to strike the outer side of the resonating surface.
See also
In Spanish: Campana (instrumento) para niños
