Exploring Waves Activity

Objective

• I can describe and demonstrate properties of waves including speed, wavelength, frequency and amplitude.

Materials

• One large slinky, expandable up to 30 feet: Example of Slinky

Directions

Transverse Waves

• Stretch out the slinky on the floor. One student should hold each end of the slinky.
• One student should start moving the slinky in a back and forth motion creating an “s-wave.” The student at the other end of the slinky should hold it in place.
• Observe the motion of the slinky.
• Sketch your wave.
• Increase the speed of your motions. Observe what happens to the slinky. Discuss this change with your group.
• Increase the back and forth motion (larger wave). Observe what happens to the slinky. Discuss this change with your group.
• Demonstrate an increase in wavelength.
• Demonstrate an increase in amplitude.

Compressional Waves

• Stretch out the slinky on the floor. One student should hold each end of the slinky.
• Keeping the slinky in a straight line, one student should start moving the slinky by pushing it forward then pulling back (repeat motion), creating a pulse along the slinky. The student at the other end of the slinky should hold it in place.
• Observe the motion of the slinky.
• Sketch your wave.
• Increase the speed of your motions. Observe what happens to the slinky. Discuss this change with your group.

Exploring Waves

1. Sketch your transverse wave. Label the wavelength and amplitude.

2. Sketch your longitudinal wave. Label the wavelength.