Compression Wave Teacher Resources

Through inquiry, students will use various objects/materials attached to strings to investigate how vibration causes sounds waves.

The different types of earthquake waves are discussed and illustrated. Features geologist video clip.

Introduction to transverse and longitudinal waves.

Seismic waves travel through the earth to a single seismic station. Scale and movement of the seismic station are greatly exaggerated to depict the relative motion recorded by the seismogram as P, S, and surface waves arrive. [0:50]

Extensive information about how waves behave in an elastic medium. Covers different types of waves, their characteristics and behavior, the anatomy of the ear, the speed of sound in different media, the parts of a wave, and wave phenomena.

Sal Khan demonstrates why S-waves, or transverse waves, only travel in solids. [4:14]

Review the characteristics of periodic transverse and longitudinal waves such as wavelength, crest, trough, amplitude, expansion, and compression.

Students explore the characteristics of both transverse and longitudinal waves.

Students see illustrated diagrams and animations to help them understand the pressure characteristics of a sound wave.

Students explore and discover how sound is created through longitudinal waves.

This resource explores how vibrating objects produce sound waves. The site contains information and an animation.

Test yourself on the topics of identifying the characteristics of a longitudinal or transverse wave such as the wavelength, crest, and areas of compression with this multiple choice quiz.

This site offers a variety of everyday activities and everyday experiences in which waves or sound waves play a role.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Covers three types of mechanical waves - transverse, longitudinal, and surface - and their characteristics. Includes labeled illustrations and two video animations.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What a longitudinal wave is, its compressions and rarefactions and what a P wave is.

Learn about compression waves and amplification through constructing a toolaballoonaphone! The toolaballoonaphone is made out an exercise ball, fish nets, wrenches, strings, scissors, and a clean waste basket that allows students to...

Sound is defined and characterized as a wave consisting of oscillations in pressure of a medium. Includes graphics and links to further information.

This site has several lessons all about sound. It introduces sound, then covers major principles of waves and the wave equation. Each lesson has interactive activities to keep you interested, and there are even some test questions.

Sound! How does it work? All you need to know about it is found here through a series of Q&As. Educators will find useful lesson plans.

Through multiple animations and interactive activities, this module allows students to investigate the properties of sound.

In the following video Paul Andersen explains how the wavelength is the distance between oscillations in a wave. In a longitudinal wave this might be the distance between areas of compression. In a transverse wave it might be the...

Link to nine major physics topics and dig deeper into the content. Find out about the work of scientists in each field and see example physical science experiments.

Physics tutorial on measuring the speed of sound in dry air. An interactive form allows the student to practice solving problems involving the temperature dependence of the speed of sound.

Great animations showing how sound is produced.