Curated OER
Waves
An incredibly colorful PowerPoint presents all the facts and definitions about waves that you could need for beginning physical scientists. There are several useful links to online animations of wave action. This may have been produced...
Curated OER
What are Earthquakes?
Here is a scientific presentation of earthquakes. The elastic rebound theory is explained, as well as the different types of waves and how they are measured. Just a note: Slide number 15 has a diagram that is upside down. Enable editing...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Shake It Up! Engineering for Seismic Waves
Students learn about how engineers design and build shake tables to test the ability of buildings to withstand the various types of seismic waves generated by earthquakes. Just like engineers, students design and build shake tables to...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Mechanical Waves and Wave Types
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] By watching video clips, doing interactives, and reading text, students discover how mechanical waves transfer energy and how the waves require a medium to propagate...
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.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Dynamic Earth, Tsunami
Use this site to teach your students what a tidal wave or tsunami is from this lesson plan. The discovery activity shows how a tsunami happens.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Surface Wave
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Definition and example of a surface wave, how the medium moves in a surface wave and why ocean waves break.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: Waves of Destruction, a Tsunami Animation
View a brief animation that explains the science behind a tsunami.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: The Restless Planet Earthquakes
Discussion of liquefaction and landslides which are two of the many effects of earthquakes.
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.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Mechanical Wave
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What a mechanical wave is and what it travels through, and different types of mechanical waves.
Missouri Botanical Garden
Missouri Botanical Garden: Waves
This site from the Missouri Botanical Garden provides a brief description of how waves form and move. Click on the "waves" link in the toolbar to the left. This site is basic, but very informative. Includes colorful animations...