Browse by Grade & Topic: Waves, Sound, and Light

Observe and measure transverse, longitudinal, and combined waves on a model of a spring moved by a hand. Adjust the amplitude and frequency of the hand, and the tension and density of the...

Test your hearing range by listening to low-, medium-, and high-frequency sounds. Compare the relative loudness of sounds at each frequency to create an equal-loudness curve. In a quiet...

Point a laser at a mirror and compare the angle of the incoming beam to the angle of reflection. A protractor can be used to measure the angles of incidence and reflection, and the angle of...

Control the intensity of red, green, and blue spotlights. Additive colors can be observed where the spotlights overlap. The RGB value of any point can be measured. Just about any color can...

Move spots of yellow, cyan, and magenta pigment on a white surface. As the colors overlap, other colors can be seen due to color subtraction. The color of most things you see--such as cars,...

Mix the primary colors of light by using red, green, and blue lights. Use pieces of colored glass to filter the light and create a wide variety of colors. Determine how light is absorbed...

Shine a powerful flashlight on a variety of materials, and measure how quickly each material heats up. See how the light angle, light color, type of material, and material color affect...

Use a powerful flashlight to pop a kernel of popcorn. A lens focuses light on the kernel. The temperature of the filament and the distance between the flashlight and lens can be changed....

Observe how different colors of light are reflected or absorbed by colored objects. Determine that white light is a combination of different colors of light, and that one or more component...

Once light enters the eye, it must be focused on the retina. Manipulate the pupil diameter to regulate the amount of light that enters then eye, then change the lens shape to focus light....

Observe how photoreceptors on the retina are stimulated by different colors of light. Determine that cone cells are stimulated by specific colors of light and enable us to see color, while...