A WAVE WITH WORDS

Always curious about the natural world, the 16th-century artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci noticed the difference between flow and wave motion in water. While watching circular ripples in a pond, he observed that water particles do not flow away from the disturbance that caused the ripples, but rather, they just move up and down as the energy is transmitted through the water. Leonardo tossed small pieces of straw onto the pond to make it easier for him to observe the movement of the water. 

Only one of the videos about is a good example of waves. Which one? Why?

 

The words we use when we talk about the properties of waves all have important scientific meanings, but they also have related uses in everyday language. In this guide, you will look at the words we use with waves and then compare it to how the same word is used more broadly.

 

Focus Words

Click on each focus word to view an illustration and a definition.

 

 

 

​Medium or No Medium?Since waves exist all around us, it can be overwhelming to think about all the different ways particular kinds of waves work. To help with this, scientists put waves into different categories based on different information.Let's try it:Two categories are MECHANICAL and ELECTROMAGNETIC. Mechanical waves use a medium for their energy to travel. Electromagnetic waves travel without a medium.Now, let's try to categorize these four types of waves by thinking about whether they use a medium for their energy to travel. ​

Do radio waves use a medium?Think and discuss: Does the energy of the wave travel by passing through matter (solid, liquid or gas)?

Do light waves use a medium?Think and discuss: Does the energy of the wave travel by passing through matter (solid, liquid or gas)?

Do sound waves use a medium?Think and discuss: Does the energy of the wave travel by passing through matter (solid, liquid or gas)?

WATER WAVESRADIO WAVESLIGHT WAVESSOUND WAVES