The links on the table below lead to portable document files that can be viewed and printed on any computer with Adobe Acrobat Reader.
The documents and all material contained therein are © Dean Baird. All rights reserved. They may be used by teachers and students for classroom instruction. Beyond that, no part of these documents may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
| GUIDES | |
| 1 | Waves Examples Definitions of quantities, explanations of equations, and worked out example problems. |
| 2 | Making
Waves 1: Transverse Waves Step-by-step illustration, description, and explanation of how a transverse wave is made in an elastic medium. |
| 3 | Making
Waves 2: Longitudinal Waves Step-by-step illustration, description, and explanation of how a longitudinal wave is made in an elastic medium. |
| 4 | Making
Waves 3: Sound Waves Step-by-step illustration, description, and explanation of how a sound wave is made in an elastic medium. |
| 5 | Speed of
Sound Actually, the speed of waves in general. Shows how the speed of a wave depends only on the medium. |
| 6 | Making
Waves 4: Combination Waves Step-by-step illustration, description, and explanation of how a combination transverse and longitudinal wave is made in an elastic medium. Combination waves include water waves and Rayleigh waves. |
| 7 | Anatomy of a
Wave Description of the source, medium, and observer of a wave and which parameters (frequency, wavelength, etc.) are associated/controlled by each. |
| JOBS | |
| 1 | Intro
to Waves Springboard - Answers A classroom discussion for introducing waves: what they do and how they do it. |
| 2 | Hunt for
Blue November - Answers Exercise in applying the equations of uniform motion to waves. How SONAR works. |
| 3 | Wave Basics
- (No Answers) Distinguish effect of transverse wave from longitudinal wave; distinguish amplitude from wavelength. |
| 4 | The
Wave Equation Springboard - Answers Classroom discussion to develop the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and wave speed. |
| 5 | Neeeooowww
Springboard - (No
Answers) Classroom discussion on the nature of the Doppler effect. |
| 6 | Wave Forms
- Answers A car goes by, blowing its horn. What would the sound look like on an oscilloscope? |
| LAB SPRINGBOARDS - The unlinked titles below are available in the Conceptual Physics lab manual from Pearson Education - Amazon link | |
| 1 |
Springs
and Swings Lab Springboard - Answers A brief treatment of simple harmonic motion to precede instruction on waves. |
| 2 |
High Quiet
Low Loud Uses Pasco's DataStudio and Waveport; allows students to explore the effects of changing the amplitude and wavelength of a sound wave. |
| 3 |
Water Waves
in an Electric Sink Uses the PhET Wave Interference Simulator. Allows students to observe the effects of changing the source frequency and amplitude. Do not add water! |
| 4 |
Wah-Wahs
and Touch-Tones Uses Pasco's DataStudio and Waveport to investigate sound wave interference and the formation of beats. Includes an investigation of Touch-Tone tones. |
| 5 | See Sounds - Answers -
DataStudio File Uses Pasco's DataStudio and Waveport (and a microphone) to observe sounds that students make. |
| 6 |
Sound Chaser - Answers -
DataStudio File Uses Pasco's DataStudio and Waveport (and a microphone) in an attempt to create tones that match a given tone. More fun than it sounds like. |
| DEMOS | |
| 1 |
The Bell Jar A ringing bell and a microphone are placed inside a bell jar. Then the air is removed. What happens to the sound of the bell? |
| 2 |
Science is Fun! Connecting vibrations to sound waves. Includes backmasking, Talkie Tapes, disembodied music box mechanism, and the Honda Musical Road commercial. |
| 3 |
The Wave
Machine, Part I Various demonstrations using the Bell Labs wave machine. Students (and teachers) love that thing. |
| 4 |
Moving
Sources Questions to accopany the Physics: Cinema Classics segments on moving wave sources. |
| OTHER | |
| 1 2 |
Waves
Begins With an M - Presentation
(QuickTime) Part of the "Physics Begins with an M" series. Make a transperency and put it on the overhead on the first day of the unit to enhance curiousity in the material of the unit. Waves Begins With an M Keynote A nifty Keynote presentation of the M's. (Keynote is Apple's presentation software; PowerPoint is Microsoft's presentation software.) Trust me, neither Keynote nor PowerPoint are The Great Saviors of education. I recommend using them sparingly if at all. Better to teach! |
| 3 | Mechanical
Universe:
Waves (College) This episode covers the nature and characteristics of mechanical waves. Alternate forms accommodate students seated side-by-side. |
| 4 | Waves Crossword Puzzle Grid - Clues Crossword puzzles are highly personalized and may not always translate well from my classroom to yours. |
| 5 |
SUPERSONIC JET MOVIE QuickTime clip of a fighter jet traveling at a speed just above Mach 1. |
| 6 |
Practice
Test
Questions and Answers Sample test questions covering magnetism and induction. |
Click here for a legend and explanation of cryptic terms and abbreviations.
Return to the Phyz Home Page.