Activity (Hands-On)Grades 3 - 5
Simon Says Big Amplitude, Small Wavelength!
Students make various wavelengths.Copyright Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sine_waves_different_frequencies.svg
In this activity, students play the game Simon Says to make the amplitudes and wavelengths defined by the teacher. First they play alone, and then they play with a partner using a piece of rope.
Engineers use the words wavelength and amplitude to describe the size and shape of a wave. Engineers also design ways to detect when a really big wave, a tsunami, is coming.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Define wavelength.
- Define amplitude.
- Create waves of varying amplitudes and wavelengths.