Lesson 2 of 8 · Waves

Experiment⭐ 30 XP

Wave Speed, Frequency and Wavelength

🧪Lab Brief #2

Wave Speed, Frequency and Wavelength.

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.

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Mind = Blown

🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.

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Make a hypothesis first

Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.

What You'll Learn

The wave equation links them all: v = fλ. Frequency is oscillations per second in hertz, wavelength is the distance between matching points, and speed is set mainly by the medium. Change frequency in a fixed medium and wavelength changes to compensate.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

shallow tray
water
ruler
small motor or hand dipper
phone camera

Safety First

Keep all electrical equipment away from the water tray.
Mop spills immediately.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.

Step 2 — Do

Generate ripples in a tray of water at a steady rate, photograph them against a ruler to measure wavelength, and count the vibrations per second. Multiply to get wave speed and repeat at two other frequencies.

Step 3 — Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 — Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

A wave has frequency 50 Hz and wavelength 4 m. Its speed is:

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

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Where you see this in real life

This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.

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For the dinner table

“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”

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Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

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Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

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