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Interactive
Space Telescope Science Institute

Amazing Space: Star Light, Star Bright

For Students 6th - 8th
An online exploration where students learn the basics about light and the properties of waves and the electromagnetic spectrum. Students will also learn how to measure wavelength and frequency so they can understand the electromagnetic...
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Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Free Waves

For Students 9th - 10th
With this article, students can learn about and understand the concept of wave motion.
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Unit Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Study Jams! Science: Energy, Light and Sound: Sound

For Students 3rd - 7th
A video and a short quiz on how sound travels in waves, its properties, and how to measure it.
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Article
Open Curriculum

Open Curriculum: Matter as a Wave

For Students 9th - 10th
This article helps illustrate the behavior of electrons as waves and the uncertainty principle.
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Unknown Type
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Light and Electromagnetic Radiation Questions

For Students 9th - 10th
Questions pertaining to light and electromagnetic radiation.
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Activity
Physics Central

Physics Central: Physics in the Living Room: Remote Control Tricks

For Students 6th - 8th
An easy experiment through which students learn about light rays and the electromagnetic spectrum. Requires a TV, its remote, and a hand-held, flat mirror.
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: How Does Color Affect Heating by Absorption of Light?

For Students 9th - 10th
Light is an example of an electromagnetic wave. Electromagnetic waves can travel through the vacuum of interstellar space. They do not depend on an external medium-unlike a mechanical wave such as a sound wave which must travel through...
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Crossed Polarizers

For Students 9th - 10th
At this univeristy physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated. Methods for analyzing light to determine the degree of polarization are stated and explained with equations.
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Methods of Polarization

For Students 9th - 10th
At this college physics department site, the polarization of light is explained and illustrated as well as the primary methods of polarization (scattering, reflection, and refraction).
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Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Measuring Vibrational Frequency With Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Strike a key on the piano, and you hear the string vibrating. Just about any object vibrates when it's knocked, but how much and how fast? This project helps you find out. You'll build a simple light-sensing circuit for measuring the...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Visible Light and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this lesson, the electromagnetic spectrum is explained and students learn that visible light makes up only a portion of this wide spectrum. Students also learn that engineers use electromagnetic waves for many different applications.
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Website
University of Maryland

Optics Highlights: Optics, Electromagnetic Waves, Quanta

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of an anecdotal history on optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the scientific evidence which led scientists to believe in the particle nature of light. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses...
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Article
Creative Science Centre

Creative Science Centre: Demonstration of Radio Waves Generated by Mobile Phone

For Students 9th - 10th
Described is a simple low cost home-made device that converts the radio wave energy from a mobile phone signal into electricity to light an LED. No battery or complex circuitry is required. The device can form the basis of a range of...
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Website
Other

Propagation of Light Using Geometry

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion of Christian Huygens' contribution to wave optics, and particularly to our understanding of the reflection and refraction of light. Excellent diagrams and a geometric proof on why the law of reflection is mathematically...
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Interactive
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: Match Light Faces With Heat Faces

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides information on the subject. "An infrared camera sees heat, rather than light. Can you match up the face in the infrared image with the same face in visible light?"
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Activity
Other

Confederation of Oregon School Administrators: Waves and Their Applications

For Teachers 1st - 4th
Every second billions of waves-sound waves, radio waves, light waves-pass through or bounce off our bodies. Over time people have developed technologies that make use of these natural phenomena to accomplish their goals such as creating...
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Unit Plan
Synopsys

Synopsys: Optics for Kids: What Is Light?

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides a short explanation of light, how it travels, and the speed in which it travels. Many other concepts related to optics can be found on this site as well.
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Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Wavelength of Light

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the characteristics of light, presents two formulas for calculating its wavelength, and provides a table of the different wavelength ranges across the electromagnetic spectrum.
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Article
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies

Mocomi: What Is Scattering of Light?

For Students 2nd - 8th
Do you know why the sky is blue? Article defines scattering and how it works. Explains the difference between the scattering of light and reflection or refraction.
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Unit Plan
Florida State University

Florida State University: Light and Color: Reflection of Light

For Students 9th - 10th
An in-depth discussion on reflection of light can be found here. Among the topics discussed include are the difference between specular and diffuse reflection, concave and convex mirrors, facets, total internal reflection, and much more....
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Imagers: The Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Students 9th - 10th
NASA site provides information on waves, electromagnetic waves and their wavelengths.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Diffraction

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students investigate diffraction of light and the interference patterns that are produced through constructive and destructive interference of the waves. Students...
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Article
Creative Science Centre

Creative Science Centre: A Voice on a Sunbeam

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is described a simple process to 'put a voice on a sunbeam' and transmit it over a distance. It is a fascinating example of amplitude modulation of light using sound vibrations. It then describes how the modulated light is detected...
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Unit Plan
NASA

Nasa: The Space Place: Why Is the Sky Blue?

For Students 5th - 8th
Learn about colors of light by exploring how prisms work. Discover the different colors of the spectrum and how the visible light is what we see.

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