Work in Progress: More resources to be added.
In-Depth Resources: Websites on many topics
Waves: An Interactive Tutorial
This open source, online book hosted by AAPT uses a series of tutorials based on interactive simulations and animations to explore the physics of waves. Students develop their understanding of waves through guided questions and exercises based on these simulations. There are four sections: Basic Properties, Combining Waves, External Interactions and Applications. These cover the usual secondary content as well as covering more advanced aspects such as antennas, etc.
A comprehensive resource for the NSW physics course
A set of animations on oscillations, travelling waves, doppler effect, interference and standing waves.
Wave Model Resources from the Perimeter Institute
The Perimeter Institute has released a package of curriculum materials called ‘Wave Model Applications’. It has 648 MB of material on sound, earthquake and gravitational waves including interference and resonance. It is pitched at Years 10 to 11, is available free and includes i) a 70 page teaching program covering how to use the material, several pages of teaching strategies and learning issues, ii) 5 different activities, each with information on teaching tips, equipment, extension, misconceptions, iii) a video, iv) a student design challenge and v) assessment criteria and rubrics.
Types of waves: Context
Types of waves: Activities
Colour: Context
Colour: Activities
Waves on a String
A PhET Simulation of properties of waves such as frequency and amplitude.
Introduction to Waves
A PhET Simulation that introduces the different types of waves properties of waves as well as the properties frequency, wavelength, amplitude and speed.
Wolfram Demonstration – Huygen’s Principle
A Wolfram Demonstration of Huygen’s Principle. You can switch between plane and circular waves, change the number of sources and change the duration.
Standing waves with Dynamics Trolleys
The trolleys are connected by rubber bands. They can demonstrate both transverse and longitudinal waves as well as standing waves produced by reflection.
Diffraction Waves 15.4 kB
A work sheet for observing diffraction with the ripple tank – can be used as part of sound practical activities.
Standing Wave
A Walter Fendt applet that shows the formation of a Standing wave by the superposition of the reflected wave. You can change the end from fixed to fee, modify the animation and separately show the incident, reflected and the standing wave
An oPhysics simulation of wave interference and standing waves
Two waves with adjustable wavelength pass through each other producing superposition. The waves are shown separately. Nodes and antinodes can be displayed.
Forced Oscillations (Resonance)
This applet by Walter Fendt features a mass on the end of a spring, but with an oscillating driving force at the top of the spring. You can vary the spring constant, the size of the attached mass, the attenuation factor and the frequency of the driving force. You can also show the elongation of the driving force and the mass at the bottom over time. The other graphs on phase, etc. are too complicated for Year 12′. The application has limited use to Sound, but if the attenuation is set to zero, and a few frequencies are chosen carefully then the effect can be dramatic.
Resonance
A PhET observation of resonance when frequency, amplitude and damping are varied. Advanced.
Standing Waves 295 kB
This Visual Basic program simulates the standing wave that results when two waves, travelling in opposite directions, superimpose. It shows both component waves and the resultant standing wave (zip file that expands to 2 files which need to be located in the same directory).
A compilation of superposition animations from emphysics
There are several animations including Walter Fendt’s plus ripple tank videos of interference
Interference of two circular Waves
This applet by Walter Fendt shows the nodal and antinodal lines formed by the circular waves from two point sources. You are able to vary the spacing between the sources and the wavelength. You are also able to move a point around the interference pattern and read off the path difference. Slow motion and pause/resume options are also available.
Interference of sound waves
A PhET Simulation of interference of sound waves in which you can vary the frequency and amplitude. You can move the microphone around and see and hear the nodal pattern.
Interference and diffraction of waves
A PhET Simulation of interference and diffraction of water waves, sound and light. A comprehensive simulation.
Wave Interference 264 kB
Students use a Java Applet to observe interference of waves from 2 point sources, measure path differences, investigate the effect of changing distance between slits and wavelength, and find mathematical rules for the path difference along nodal and anti-nodal lines.