Another way students can tell that waves carry energy is by using a microwave oven. The microwaves, which are short-wavelength radio waves, deposit their energy in the food, increasing the heat energy there. Challenge students to think of other places where they can see that waves carry energy. Some answers might include how ocean waves can make a boat rock to and fro and can even cause a boat to tip over capsize ; standing out in the Sun, you can feel how the radiation from the Sun mostly infrared and visible light waves make you warmer—or how that same radiation will be absorbed by solar cells or solar panels to produce electrical and heat energy; compression waves in the air from a nearby explosion can break windows; and sound waves can make matter vibrate.
One last thing about waves that is very interesting is that waves can carry information. Information travels to and from cell phones using radio waves or microwaves.
Radio and television stations broadcast programs using radio waves. Sound waves carry information to your ears, which, in turn, send that information to your brain. Similarly, light waves carry information to your eyes, which, in turn, send that information to your brain. Astronomers learn enormous amounts of information about planets, stars, and galaxies by analyzing the light waves emitted by those objects.
If I mention light, most people immediately think of visible light. But there are also invisible forms of light. All these kinds of light—both visible and invisible—comprise what scientists call the electromagnetic spectrum. The word electromagnetic is there because light actually consists of traveling electric and magnetic fields. Our eyes are sensitive only to the very narrow band of visible light, but all those other kinds of radiation are the same kind of thing as visible light, only with different wavelengths.
Light waves are different from other kinds of waves because, while other waves need some material to travel through, light waves can travel through a vacuum. You know this because you can see the light from the Sun and other stars—light that has traveled through the vacuum of space.
So, for instance, radio waves can also travel through the vacuum of space. Long ago, I carried out research that involved studying radio waves emitted by the Sun. Contact him at DrMatt msb-science. Physical Science Elementary. Finally, do you know what physicists enjoy doing the most at sporting events? The Wave! Never stop learning. References Sound breaking glass Wave simulations.
Even the vacuum of space carries waves, specifically electromagnetic waves from sources such as the Sun. It is important to note that when waves are in the same location, they can interfere with other waves or even with themselves.
This process of interaction leads to diffraction and interference. When waves move from one medium to another for example if they move from air to glass there is also refraction. As waves move from one place to another, they carry energy. Generally, the medium itself doesn't move much as it is the disturbance that is being transmitted. For example, sound waves make the air molecules vibrate, but it doesn't move air the same way that wind does.
Since the particles of the medium itself don't move, just vibrate, waves are said to be a type of energy transport phenomenon. This means that a disturbance moves through a medium particle to particle, moving energy across a distance during this process.
When particles stop moving from the disturbance, they have the same amount of energy they began with and thus vibrated momentarily only to move energy. In this simulation, different types of waves can be created by moving the wrench on the left-hand side of the screen. Fossil Fuels. Explore more about waves, such as sound and energy by browsing the resources under our waves concept.
In NIWA ran a webinar: A step closer to a future powered by tidal current energy , in which the results of the Energy from tidal currents project are presented. This project investigated the viability of generation electricity from the strong tidal currents within Cook Strait. Find out more about using waves as an energy source in this Wikipedia article. Add to collection. In sound waves, energy is transferred through vibration of air particles or particles of a solid through which the sound travels.
In water waves, energy is transferred through the vibration of the water particles. Activity ideas Use a Mexican wave to demonstrate how waves transfer energy and to help your students visualise the wave behaviours of reflection, constructive interference and shoaling. More on waves Explore more about waves, such as sound and energy by browsing the resources under our waves concept.
Useful links In NIWA ran a webinar: A step closer to a future powered by tidal current energy , in which the results of the Energy from tidal currents project are presented. Go to full glossary Add 0 items to collection. Download 0 items. Twitter Pinterest Facebook Instagram. Email Us.
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