Level 5 · Science S5.10

Waves

Waves add up, bend and spread, and this explains music, rainbows and the light from stars.

Planned. This book is not written yet. Below is its plan, which a teacher can already use.

You are ready for this book if

You can calculate wave speed from frequency and wavelength.

The plan

  1. S5.10.1 Progressive waves
    • Describe phase difference in degrees and radians
    • Explain how polarisation shows that light is a transverse wave
  2. S5.10.2 Superposition and interference
    • Explain constructive and destructive interference using path difference
    • Explain why coherent sources are needed for a steady pattern
  3. S5.10.3 Stationary waves
    • Explain how stationary waves form on strings and in pipes
    • Calculate the frequencies of harmonics on a string
  4. S5.10.4 Diffraction and gratings
    • Explain how the width of a gap changes diffraction
    • Use the grating equation to find the wavelength of light
  5. S5.10.5 Young's double slits
    • Use the double slit equation to find a wavelength
    • Explain why the double slit result supported the wave model of light
  6. S5.10.6 Refraction and optical fibres
    • Use Snell's law and find critical angles
    • Explain material and modal dispersion in optical fibres
  7. S5.10.7 Lenses and optical instruments
    • Use the lens equation to find image distance and magnification
    • Explain how a refracting telescope forms an image
  8. S5.10.8 The Doppler effect
    • Explain the Doppler effect for sound and light
    • Calculate a source's speed from its frequency shift

For parents and teachers

Level 5 fits learners who can already: read a textbook. use functions and graphs. In many schools that is about 17 to 20, but start wherever the learner is.

Strand: Energy, light and sound. Written and drawn by attnom. Free to read, print and share.