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Wave Reflection, Absorption & Transmittance

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- All waves have properties like amplitude, wavelength and frequency.
- Sound waves need matter to travel through. Light waves can travel through empty space.
- Waves interacting with matter can be reflected, absorbed, transmitted and refracted.
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Discussion Questions
- Before VideoWhere do you find energy? ANSWER
Energy is present anywhere there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat.
Energy can be moved from one place to another by moving objects or through sound, light, or electrical currents. When objects collide, energy is transferred from one object to another, thereby changing its motion.
The faster a given object is moving, the more energy it has. This happens with all matter and can be measured in many different ways in the form of heat or electrical current.
A wave has a repeating pattern with a specific wavelength, frequency, and amplitude.
Light waves travel in straight lines. But when they hit an object, they bend in different directions and will travel in straight lines in a different direction.
You describe a wave by observing its properties. All waves have amplitude, wavelength, and frequency, but waves can be different from one another. For example, waves with higher amplitude will be louder (sound) and brighter (light) than waves with lower amplitude and wavelength.
- After VideoHow is a sound wave different from a light wave? ANSWER
Sound waves needs to travel through matter, but light does not need to travel through matter.
Light can be absorbed, reflected, or transmitted through an object, depending on the object’s materials and the wavelength of light.
All waves have amplitude, wavelength, and frequency.
Light waves are measured in nanometers. Higher amplitude light waves will be brighter and show colors such as red, whereas light waves with lower amplitude (and higher frequency) show colors such as violet.
Higher amplitude waves transfer more energy. High amplitude light waves produce bright, visible colors, whereas high amplitude sound waves produce loud sounds.
Sound waves can be transmitted through objects, like when you hear music from another room. Sound waves can also reflect off of objects, like when you hear an echo across cliffs.
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Vocabulary
- Amplitude DEFINE
The height of the wave from its resting point.
- Wavelength DEFINE
The length of one wave measured from peak to peak.
- Frequency DEFINE
How many waves pass a point in 1 second.
- Reflection DEFINE
Waves hitting matter and bouncing off.
- Absorption DEFINE
The transfer of the energy of the wave to the medium it comes into contact with.
- Transmittance DEFINE
Energy of the wave passes through the medium.
- Wave DEFINE
A repeating pattern of motion that transfers energy from place to place.
- Hertz DEFINE
The unit of measurement for how many waves pass a point in 1 second.
- Nanometer DEFINE
A unit of measurement 1 million times smaller than a millimeter.
- Trough DEFINE
The bottom of a wave.
- Amplitude DEFINE
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Reading Material
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DIY Activity Guide
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Lesson Plan
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Teacher Guide