In order to demonstrate the presence of thermoelastic internal friction, the authors measured the internal friction of a copper reed over a wide frequency range (50 to 4000 cycles/sec.). They obtained a maximum precisely at the predicted frequency. The observed variation of internal friction with frequency proves that, over a wide frequency range, the internal friction due to the flow of heat back and forth across a reed is of a larger order of magnitude than that due to all other causes. Independent experiments of Bennewitz and Rötger on wires of silver, aluminum, brass, steel, and glass are shown to furnish an equally striking demonstration of thermoelastic internal friction.

• Received 13 July 1937

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.53.100