Learning Exercise
Light Waves
An assignment to help your students understand how light travels using a slinky.
- Material:
- Science & Mathematics Education Center
- Date last modified:
- December 21, 2007
- Created by:
- Maria Alejandra Lucero
- License:
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Exercise
· Review previous days lesson. Have students discuss what they remember about light.
· Students are separated into groups of three or four. Each group is given a worksheet and a slinky.
o Following the directions on the worksheet, two students are to hold each end of the slinky and swing it up and down in a wave-like motion. The remaining students in the group are to make observations.
· After allowing students enough time to complete the activity, come back together as a class to discuss observations, with the teacher posing the following questions:
o What happened when the ends of the slinky got closer together?
o What happened with the slinky was more stretched out?
o In which case did it take more work to wave the slinky?
· The instructor will then relate the movement of the slinky to the movement of light waves and the idea of frequency.
· Students will then complete the questions at the end of their lab sheet.
· Students are separated into groups of three or four. Each group is given a worksheet and a slinky.
o Following the directions on the worksheet, two students are to hold each end of the slinky and swing it up and down in a wave-like motion. The remaining students in the group are to make observations.
· After allowing students enough time to complete the activity, come back together as a class to discuss observations, with the teacher posing the following questions:
o What happened when the ends of the slinky got closer together?
o What happened with the slinky was more stretched out?
o In which case did it take more work to wave the slinky?
· The instructor will then relate the movement of the slinky to the movement of light waves and the idea of frequency.
· Students will then complete the questions at the end of their lab sheet.