Curated OER
Wave Phenomena and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Science learners scrutinize shadow size and quality, and experiment with diffraction. They model superposition of electromagnetic waves, and experiment with interference. These activities are action-packed and challenging for your...
Curated OER
Waves Interference
Students identify different wave types and their characteristics. In this wave lesson students complete activities by activating tuning forks and interpreting data.Â
Cornell University
Sometimes You Behave Like a WAVE, Sometimes You Don't!
Electromagnetic radiation behaves like both a wave and a particle. Help classes explore this concept through a lab investigation. Young scientists create optical interference patterns on a glass slide using a carbon layer. They analyze...
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Using Bubbles to Learn about Light Interference
Students explore constructive interference and destructive interference. In this light travel lesson, students follow procedures to discover how light waves travel and experience interference.
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Electromagnetic and Physical Waves
Learners compare and contrast electromagnetic and physical waves. For this wave lesson, students discover that all waves reflect, refract, and diffract energy. Learners work in small groups to experiment with waves and evaluate the type...
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Fundamental Properties of a Wave
Students investigate the form and motion of a wave, and examine the fundamental properties of wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. They discuss the fundamental properties of a wave, and in small groups conduct an experiment involving...
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Using Bubbles to Learn about Light Interference
Students explain the wave properties of light.
Curated OER
Seeing Interference Fringes with a Telescope
Students construct an interferometer using a simple telescope. In this physics lesson, students explain how light waves create the fringe patterns. They observe patterns made by different objects in the sky and compare them.
Curated OER
Understanding Waves
Students perform 3 hands-on activities to help them explain the terms "crest" and "trough" as related to sound, water, and light waves. All three waves types have troughs and crests. The activities use toys to demonstrate the properties...
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Wave Types and Characteristics
Ninth graders identify the different parts of a wave. In this physics instructional activity, 9th graders observe wave behavior as it travels through a boundary. They determine the relationship between wavelength, frequency and velocity.
Curated OER
The Grating Spectrometer; Light and Wavelengths
Students create a paper model that demonstrates wave interference for 3 wavelength from 2 sources. For this light and wave lesson, students use a real spectrometer and observe and measure the wavelength of spectral lines. Students then,...
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Wave Machine
Young scholars experiment with wave behaviors. Â In this wave machine lesson, students design a model of waves to understand interference, standing waves, free-end reflection and wave velocity.Â
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Polarization
Eighth graders study the basic facts of polarization. In this light waves lesson students demonstrate some activities illustrating interference patterns.Â
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Frozen Film
Young scholars discover how light reflects off surfaces. In this hands-on demonstration, students examine how variations in color are produced by light interference.
Curated OER
Physical Optics: The Wave Nature of Light
Students are introduced to the wave nature of light. In groups, they discuss Young's experiment and how diffraction and interference demonstrate the wave nature of light. Using examples, they show constructive and destructive...
Curated OER
Frozen Film
Students are introduced to the topic of light interference through this hands-on activity. They observe how light reflects off two surfaces and then meets to form an interesting variation of color on a film surface.
Curated OER
Diffraction of Laser Light, Polarization and Color Filters
Students investigate light behavior by conducting a series of experiments. In this physics lesson plan, students calculate the wavelength of the light source using an equation. They determine what color is produced when light of...
Curated OER
Adding Trigonometric Functions
Students identify trigonometric functions. In this trigonometry lesson, students add and subtract trigonometric functions. They add sine and cosine waves and relate it to the real world.
Curated OER
Generation of Action Potentials in Nitella Giant Algal Cells
Learners observe cytoplasmic streaming in Nitella cells. They examine the conduction of a wave of depolarization across other membranes, such as the axons of neurons. Students predict the effects of sending a small electric current...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Powers of Ten with the Blue Morpho Butterfly
Explore the powers of ten while examining a Blue Morpho butterfly wing. Learners discover there is a lot more than meets the eye when one looks close enough.
Curated OER
Super Gelatin
Students investigate the refraction properties of gelatin to calculate its index of refraction. They discover that as the light travels through the gelatin, its speed and wavelength also change. Students find th indes of refraction of an...
Curated OER
What Role Does Light Play Within the Vision Process?
Students are introduced to the relationship between light and vision. In groups, they participate in experiments to discover how different wavelengths are divided in the visible spectrum. They record their answers and discuss their...
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Water Quality
Students analyze water quality and turbidity of collected samples. In this physics lesson plan, students conduct tests to identify the suspended particles in the samples. They explain how human activities affect water quality.
Curated OER
E3 Project Instructional Plan: Light
Eleventh graders investigate the nature of light. For this physics lesson, 11th graders determine how light intensity varies with the distance of the light source.