This resource, from Siemens UK, encourages students to appreciate the importance of clean water and the problems that may arise in the absence of it. Students consider soluble and insoluble pollutants and methods of filtration. They then explore contamination by microorganisms, water-borne diseases and the...

These resources from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, produced in association with Fairfield Control Systems, explore the theme of waterways.

A Catalyst article looking at renewable energy. To tackle climate change and all the challenges imposed by the need to find alternative and reliable energy sources, there is one major resource that has remained untapped until now: wave power. This article describes the size of this resource and presents the leading...

Comparing two sine waves of different amplitudes, this video shows that the intensity of a wave is proportional to the square of the amplitude.  The intensity is given I = ^P/_A, i.e., power per cross-sectional area.

In this video, Alom Shaha describes a simple but effective wave machine. Aimed at teachers, this video explains how to make the wave machine using adhesive tape, jelly babies and wooden skewers. He explains how it can be used to illustrate transverse wave motion in a visual and engaging manner.

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In the simulation students can watch a string vibrate in slow motion. You can wiggle the end of the string and make waves, or adjust the frequency and amplitude of an oscillator. The simulation also allows you to adjust the damping and tension.

Sample learning outcomes include:

*Discuss wave...

Does light behave like a wave, a stream of particles or both? Scientists at the University of Oxford are taking advantage of the particle-wave duality of light to carry out work developing exciting new technologies.

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This video summarises the properties of waves, i.e., reflection, refraction, diffraction and polarisation using a free App called Ripple free by Paul Falstad.  The App is very effective and versatile. 

This video uses a jelly baby wave machine to introduce the motional properties of progressive and standing waves and to introduce key terminology.

A displacement – distance graph is used to define wavelength (λ) and the phase of a wave.  A complete wave cycle is 360⁰ and from this the position of a particle...

This video explains the observations when two coherent light waves interact to form fringes.  A diagram is used to show that

λ = ^(ax)/_d, where a = slit separation and D = the distance between the slit and the projection screen, and x = distance between fringes. From these measurements...

This video introduces explains the difference between the phase difference of a wave (measured in degrees) and the path difference of a wave (measured in metres of fraction of a wavelength). 

When waves are coherent and have a path difference that is a multiple of λ, then the interference is constructive. ...

This video begins by asking the question, “why do we see rainbow colours on the surface of a DVD?”.

Light from a laser is shone through a diffraction grating to demonstrate a diffraction pattern.  The terms 0^th, 1^st and 2^nd order maxima are introduced and explained using the...

This video recaps on the idea that light sent along an optical fibre requires total internal reflection for it to progress along its length. It explains that information is sent as a series of on – off signals.  However, if light rays take different paths they can be modally dispersed, and this can degrade the...

This video models refraction using a vehicle travelling from a concrete surface to a grass surface and shows how the forward wheel slows and so the vehicle changes direction.

A diagram is then constructed to develop Snell’s law, i.e., the angle of incidence (from air) is proportional to the angle of...