Waves

Open world

Explore

Jump in anywhere, in any order. Every activity reshuffles each time you play, so there's always something new. You earn hertz for every right answer.

Think about it

Big questions to wonder about

By the end of this unit, you'll be able to answer every one of these.

Why does the lightning flash always reach you before the thunder?

A ringing phone sits in a jar with all the air pumped out. Could you still see its screen? Could you hear it?

Why does a straw look broken when it sits in a glass of water?

How can a bat find a tiny moth in total darkness?

Vocabulary

Word Wall

The 14 words you'll own by the end of this unit. Tap any card to flip it. Words you collect in the activities get a ✓.

The road ahead

Unit Roadmap

Five parts, in the order we'll learn them.

1

Part 1: Wave Basics & Wave Properties

What a wave is
Mechanical vs. electromagnetic
Transverse vs. longitudinal
Amplitude, wavelength, frequency & v = f × λ

S8P4.aS8P4.eS8P4.f

2

Part 2: The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Radio to gamma, in order
Visible light: the rainbow slice
What each band is used for
Energy and safety

S8P4.bS8P4.c

3

Part 3: Sound Waves

Pitch = frequency
Loudness = amplitude
Why solids carry sound fastest
Echoes and absorption

S8P4.aS8P4.eS8P4.f

4

Part 4: Wave Behaviors

Reflection & refraction
Absorption & transmission
Diffraction
Interference (lite)

S8P4.d

5

Part 5: Lenses & Mirrors

Convex and concave lenses
Real vs. virtual images
Plane, concave & convex mirrors
Microscopes, telescopes & cameras

S8P4.g

Where we're headed

Learning Targets & Success Criteria

Learning Targets

I am learning to…

Identify similarities and differences between electromagnetic and mechanical waves
Describe the relationships between wave properties and energy
Analyze how waves behave differently in different mediums
Explain how the amount of energy determines the different types of electromagnetic waves
Apply the electromagnetic spectrum to practical everyday uses
Explain how light and sound waves are reflected, refracted, absorbed, diffracted and transmitted through different materials
Use lenses to make light behave in different ways that can assist us in everyday tasks

Success Criteria

I will be successful when I can…

Compare & contrast characteristics of electromagnetic and mechanical waves
Measure the wavelength, amplitude and frequency in relation to both electromagnetic and mechanical waves
Relate the wavelength, amplitude and frequency to the amount of energy in a wave
Use real world example to explain how wave speed changes in different media (state of matter)
Explain and illustrate energy within different types of electromagnetic waves using data
Identify & describe real-world applications where the EM spectrum can be used
Compare & contrast how light and sound waves behave in different mediums (refraction, absorption, diffraction, transmission, reflection)
Make and use models to show the effects that lenses have on light, including uses for lenses in technology

Georgia Standards of Excellence

Standards

S8P4

Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to support the claim that electromagnetic (light) waves behave differently than mechanical (sound) waves.

S8P4.a

Ask questions to develop explanations about the similarities and differences between electromagnetic and mechanical waves.

S8P4.b

Construct an explanation using data to illustrate the relationship between the electromagnetic spectrum and energy.

S8P4.c

Design a device to illustrate practical applications of the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., communication, medical, military).

S8P4.d

Develop and use a model to compare and contrast how light and sound waves are reflected, refracted, absorbed, diffracted or transmitted through various materials.

S8P4.e

Analyze and interpret data to predict patterns in the relationship between density of media and wave behavior (i.e., speed).

S8P4.f

Develop and use a model (e.g., simulations, graphs, illustrations) to predict and describe the relationships between wave properties (e.g., frequency, amplitude, and wavelength) and energy.

S8P4.g

Develop and use models to demonstrate the effects that lenses have on light (i.e., formation an image) and their possible technological applications.

Watch