Riding the Waves: Calculating Wave Speed

• Science
• Secondary Education
• Primary Education
• Age 8

Riding the Waves: Calculating Wave Speed

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to calculate the speed of a wave.

Introduce the learning objective and explain its importance. Highlight how this knowledge can be applied in real-life situations.

What do you already know about waves?

What are Waves?

Waves are a type of disturbance that move through a medium. They can be categorized into mechanical and electromagnetic waves.

Start by defining what waves are and distinguish between mechanical and electromagnetic waves.

Real-World Applications

Calculating wave speed has many real-world applications, such as in the fields of seismology, oceanography, and telecommunications IN UAE

Discuss some examples of how wave speed is used in different fields. Encourage students to think of other applications and share them with the class.

Wave Speed Formula

Wave speed is calculated by dividing the wavelength by the period of the wave. The formula for wave speed is v = f *λ .

Introduce the wave speed formula and explain the variables (wavelength and period). Provide examples of how to use the formula to calculate wave speed.

Practice Problems

Now that we know the formula for wave speed, let's practice using it to solve some problems.

A WAVE WITH A FREQUENCY OF 14 HZ has a Wavelength of 3 meters.

At what speed will this wave travel? 

Provide practice problems for students to solve. Use different types of waves and varying values for wavelength and period.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.