This booklet is part of the ‘Innovations in Practical Work’ series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP). Electromagnetic waves show a huge range in terms of frequency and wavelength, but the same basic principles underlie wave behaviour:...

A Catalyst article about how engineers use their understanding of sound waves to develop highly realistic sound systems for films, music systems and computer games. The same ideas can help people with eyesight and hearing problems. Sound waves are affected by their surroundings and the article examines this along...

In these activities, from the Institute of Physics, students look at waves, speed, frequency, wavelength and wave graphs. They provide an opportunity to assess and build on prior knowledge.

In this topic, there are three learning episodes:

Episode 309: ...

Produced by Becta, this document contains examples which highlight ways in which ICT resources may be used effectively to support children's learning within secondary science.

The examples include:

• Sound and waves
• Forces and moments
• Disease and mortality
• Digestion and...

This video explains how to measure the speed of water waves using an alternative to the ripple tank wave experiment; water in a Gratnell tray. In order to calculate the speed of a wave, we need to measure the distance covered by a wave in the time it takes to cover that distance.

This series of learning episodes, from the Institute of Physics, looks at how waves add together by superposition. It follows a 'conceptual approach' by looking at superposition itself, followed by interference fringes and then diffraction.

The episodes in this topic are:

Episode 320:...

Through demonstrations, discussions and worked examples, students are introduced to the phenomenon of wave-particle duality. Students learn that electrons, which are often thought of as particles, can sometimes behave as waves.

Using a diagram of an open tube an explanation of possible wave patterns is built up.  Firstly, the fundamental mode of vibration is drawn, followed by the second and third harmonics.  For each illustration the number of waves is calculated, i.e, ^λ/₄, ³/₄ λ and ^5...

The video states that the velocity (v) of a wave moving along a string is related to the strings tension (T) and its mass per unit length (μ).  The unit of tension is the Newton (N) and the unit of mass/length is kg/m.

A simple interrogation of the formula v = √(T/ μ) shows that as T increases so too does...

This booklet contains a range of suggested teaching activities and contexts for teaching about waves at A level. Curriculum links include  progressive, longitudinal, transverse, stationary, waves, intensity, electromagnetic spectrum, properties of waves, refraction, total internal reflection, superposition,...

A Year Ten module from the Salters’ double award science course. Exercises on codes and signalling methods introduce ideas about communication. A study of the ear leads to sound communication systems such as radio and telephones. Lenses are studied and the formation of...

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Use ray diagrams to show how light refracts at a boundary between transparent media.
• Describe rules for the refraction of light at a boundary between transparent media.
• ...

LDRs (light dependent resistors) are semiconductor devices. From the Institute of Physics, in this learning episode students investigate the resistance of an LDR at different light intensities. This can be used as a basis to explain how photons liberate free electrons...