Category

Waves

PhysicsWaves

Earthquake Waves

The general properties of waves can be investigated through an activity on earthquakes. First, have your child research the three different types of earthquake waves. Encourage them to find the following information about each wave: 1. name of the wave 2. how quickly it travels compared to the other two 3. what part of the Earth does it travel through 4. type of wave, based on motion (compression wave, transverse wave, etc.) 5. does it…
Cheryl Taylor
November 1, 2014
PhysicsWaves

Slinky Waves

Have an old slinky collecting dust in the kids' toy box? Pull it out and teach a quick lesson on the two types of waves. 1. Loosely stretch the slinky across the floor or long table with you holding one end and your child holding the other. 2. Create a transverse wave by shaking one end of the slinky horizontally across the floor or table. Continue shaking back and forth to set up a series…
Cheryl Taylor
May 5, 2014
PhysicsWaves

Make Waves in the Tub

Light waves . . . sound waves . . . it's all pretty hard for a younger elementary student to understand. They can see light and hear sound, but the wave part just isn't something they can perceive with their senses. A good way to begin to introduce the topic of waves is with water waves. A wave that is visible and moves slowly enough for them to observe the actual wave itself. Use bath…
Cheryl Taylor
March 31, 2014