SC.912.P.10.20

Students will graphically determine the spring constant k using their knowledge of Newton's Laws of Motion and Hooke's Law and by determining the period of a weight on a spring undergoing simple harmonic motion.

Type: Lesson Plan

This resource will provide student with the basic knowledge of sound waves, their behaviors, and what factors affect the properties of sound.

The students will use technology (a simulation and a decibels app) to discover and explore how wave properties can be measured and factors affecting those properties.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is on the difference between types of waves. This lesson is linked to SC.912.P.10.20. The lesson will focus on recognizing that the source of all waves is a vibration and waves carry energy from one place to another and the distinction between transverse and longitudinal waves in mechanical media, such as springs and ropes.

Type: Lesson Plan

This activity is designed to help students understand the concept of resonance through the application of the wave equation to sounds produced by a singing wine glass.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will construct their own wave machine similar to the one described in the video from the National Stem Centre: .

Type: Lesson Plan

This activity will explore the connection between wavelength and frequency of colors in the visible light using web sites, hand-spectroscopes, spectral tubes and CSI type investigations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Dolphins and whales aren't the only ones making noise underwater. Lots of oceanographers do, too.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Expert

Audio engineer Kris Kolp explains his studio design choices that affect the way sound waves move through the room. 

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Major Tucker Hamilton, a test pilot for the United States Air Force, explains various aspects of the Doppler effect as it applies to moving objects such as fighter jets. 

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Learn how the shape of a didgeridoo affects its sound in this totally tubular video.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Want to watch a video on audio engineering and frequency? Sounds good to me.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

It's okay if you're not on quite the same wavelength as this ethnomusicologist. In Balinese gamelan tuning, that's a good thing!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

If physics has you down, don't fret - this musician covers all the bases.

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Physical science and social science connect in this discussion of Balinese gamelan. Full STEAM ahead!

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

When your classroom is the open ocean, which is the longest period? The one from the tsunami.

Related Resources:
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: GPS Data Set[.XLSX]
KROS Pacific Ocean Kayak Journey: Path Visualization for Google Earth[.KML]

Download the CPALMS Perspectives video student note taking guide.

Type: Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. This text describes in a historical context how the wave equation quantifies scientific experimentation performed over a hundred years ago to explain how light behaves from the perspective of math and physics. The wave equation has also proved useful in understanding quantum mechanics.

Type: Text Resource

This tutorial contains information about the characteristics of longitudinal, transverse, and surface waves. This tutorial will also provide information about the amplitude, frequency, wavelength, speed, refraction, reflection, diffraction, and constructive and destructive interference of the waves.

Type: Tutorial

• Study the relation between the speed of light and the refractive index of the medium it passes through.
• Choose from a collection of materials with known refractive indices and obtain the speed of light as it passes through.
• Learn why light-years are used as an astronomical measurement of distance.

Type: Tutorial

This resource explores the electromagnetic spectrum and waves by allowing the learner to observe the refraction of light as it passes from one medium to another, study the relation between refraction of light and the refractive index of the medium, select from a list of materials with different refractive indicecs, and change the light beam from white to monochromatic and observe the difference.

Type: Tutorial

• Explore the relationship between wavelength, frequency, amplitude and energy of an electromagnetic wave
• Compare the characteristics of waves of different wavelengths

Type: Tutorial

This is a link to the National STEM Centre (UK) that shows a short video describing how to make a simple wave machine for your class with kebab sticks, duct tape, and jelly babies! Students love it and it can be made as qualitative or quantitative as you like.

Type: Video/Audio/Animation

Demonstrate two or three dimensional wave patterns. Great for showing interference, diffraction and refraction.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Play with a 1D or 2D system of coupled mass-spring oscillators. Vary the number of masses, set the initial conditions, and watch the system evolve. See the spectrum of normal modes for arbitrary motion. Compare longitudinal and transverse modes.

Type: Virtual Manipulative