Measuring Distance with Sound Waves

For the teacher's introductory presentation and activity preparation:

• PC or laptop, running MS PowerPoint^®
• computer projector
• Measuring Distance with Sound Waves Presentation (PPTX), a PowerPoint file
• thermometer, to measure room temperature
• (optional) Android or Apple smartphone/tablet computer
• (optional) Tone Generator app (free for Apple devices, download at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tone-generator/id457003837?mt=8), or audio frequency recordings (available at Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_frequency)
• LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Core Set available at https://education.lego.com/en-us/products/lego-mindstorms-education-ev3-core-set/5003400#lego-mindstorms-education-ev3
• (optional) PING))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor available at Parallax, Inc.

Each group needs:

• 1 LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 brick
• 1 ultrasonic sensor
• 1 cable
• various LEGO pieces to attach sensor to EV3 brick
• Distance and Time Worksheet (PDF), one per person

Note: This activity can also be conducted with the older (and no longer sold) LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT set instead of EV3; see below for those supplies:

• LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot, such as the NXT Base Set