Curated OER
Wave Motion
Young scholars observe and identify various waves. In this wave motion instructional activity, student use a Slinky, noise, people, and musical instruments to create waves and observe how each type of wave moves.
Curated OER
Surfs up!
Students learn about longitudinal and transverse waves. In this waves lesson plan, students learn the characteristics of longitudinal and transverse waves by observing demonstrations. They then categories each wave as longitudinal or...
Curated OER
Wave Terms and Concepts
In this waves worksheet, students define 23 vocabulary words associated with the different types of waves and how waves are measured. Students complete 23 matching terms with definitions and draw the superposition of two waves shown.
PBS
Pbs News Hour Extra: You Don't Need a Seismograph to Study Earthquakes
Three part lesson will provide learners with information about earthquakes and how to predict them using various Web sites. Activities include historical background on major earthquakes, investigating mechanical waves, and simulating...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Sound and Light
The Sound and Light unit provides students with an understanding of sound and light waves through the theme of the "Sunken Treasure," a continuous story line throughout the lessons. In Lessons 1-5, students learn about sound, and in...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Riding the Radio Waves
In this instructional activity students learn how AM radios work through basic concepts about waves and magnetic fields. Waves are first introduced by establishing the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves, as well as...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Faultline: P and S Waves
The different types of earthquake waves are discussed and illustrated. Features geologist video clip.
Other
Transverse and Longitudinal Wave Propagation in an Elastic Medium
Extensive information about how waves behave in an elastic medium. Covers different types of waves, their characteristics and behavior, the anatomy of the ear, the speed of sound in different media, the parts of a wave, and wave phenomena.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Longitudinal Waves
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students can use this module to find out what a longitudinal wave is and how it differs from a transverse wave.
Pennsylvania State University
Wave Animations: Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
This physics tutorial features text and animations explaining the particle motion of a medium through which transverse, longitudinal, or surface waves move.
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: General Properties of Waves
Light travels as waves. Waves can be described by their amplitude, wavelength and frequency. The speed of a wave can be calculated from its frequency and wavelength.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Sound Waves: Interactive Lesson
Learn about sound waves, which move vibrations from one place to another through liquids, gases and solids, with this interactive lesson.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Wave
An in-depth encyclopedia article from Wikipedia on waves gives a definition for what a wave is. Other content in the article includes a list of examples and characteristics of waves, information about the difference between transverse...
Other
Explore Science!: Longitudinal Wave
How does a sound wave travel through the atmosphere? View the animated "Scream" to see what happens. (Animation requires Macromedia Shockwave Plug-In).
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Make Some Waves
In this activity, students use their own creativity (and their bodies) to make longitudinal and transverse waves. Through the use of common items, they will investigate the different between longitudinal and transverse waves.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Wind Chimes
Using their knowledge of physics, students will build a wind chime. Mathematical computations will be done to determine the length of the pipes.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Surf's Up!
This lesson introduces the concepts of longitudinal and transverse waves. Students see several demonstrations of waves and characterize them by transverse and longitudinal behavior. This lesson also introduces the Sunken Treasure theme...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Echolocation in Action!
In this activity, students will experience echolocation themselves. They actually try echolocation by wearing blindfolds while another student makes snapping noises in front of, behind, or to the side of them.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Waves, Sound and Light: Longitudinal Pulse
The animation portrays a medium as a series of particles connected by springs. In this type of longitudinal wave the particles of the medium vibrate in a direction parallel to the direction of energy transport.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Longitudinal Waves and Guitar Strings
A reference page including content and animations on longitudinal waves. Understand how sound waves are produced from vibrations in guitar strings to produce longitudinal waves.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: The Faultline/seismic Slinky
A lesson plan for investigating longitudinal waves by use of a Slinky toy. Directions, questions, and applications to seismic waves are provided.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Slinky in Hand
Use a Slinky toy to investigate the resonance of transverse and longitudinal waves.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Transverse and Longitudinal Waves
The physics tutorial illustrates and explains the distinction between transverse and longitudinal waves. Related links provided.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: Physics of Hearing: Sound
describe sound as a longitudinal wave.By the end of this section, you will be able to define sound and hearing and