Light travels as transverse waves and can travel through a vacuum. Sound travels as longitudinal waves and needs to travel through a solid, liquid or gas. Read about the properties of light and of sound, and learn the differences between...

Students can observe the properties of a wave with different variables. Students can experiment with the type of end, damping factor, and tension in the string. Possible teacher lesson plans are included at the bottom of the page.

This interactive activity adapted from the University of Utah's ASPIRE Lab provides an overview of the characteristics and properties of various types of waves, including light waves, sound waves, and water waves.

Physiclips thoroughly presents the concept of sound with animations and film clips. Learn about the properties of sound and the physics behind sound waves with this site.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students investigate behaviors of waves, including interference, reflection, refraction, and diffraction.

Students learn about the types of waves and how they change direction, as well as basic wave properties such as wavelength, frequency, amplitude and speed. During the presentation of lecture information on wave characteristics and...

Through informational text, interactive activities, practice problems, and virtual simulations, students explore the properties of electromagnetic waves.

In this module, students investigate the properties and behavior of different types of waves.

Explore the properties of quantum particles bound in potential wells, and see how the wave functions and probability densities that describe them evolve (or don't evolve) over time.

Online physics text that illustrates and explains the various characteristics of waves such as amplitude, period, frequency, wavelength, and speed. Includes interactive exercises.

This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses sound waves and properties of sound.

How can scientists lump heat, light and sound together when investigating properties and behaviors? This learning module will address that question through a series of activities.

This site is from the Texas A&M University provides a lesson plan on measurement and properties of the ocean. As part of the lesson learners are challenged to create a model of an underwater amusement park. Web resources are provided...

A thorough explanation of the wave equation (Speed = Wavelength * Frequency). A data table and questions to check one's understanding are also part of this lesson.

Simulate the original experiment that proved that electrons can behave as waves. Watch electrons diffract off a crystal of atoms, interfering with themselves to create peaks and troughs of probability. Java required.

Watch quantum "particles" tunnel through barriers. Explore the properties of the wave functions that describe these particles.

Students learn the basic properties of light--the concepts of light absorption, transmission, reflection and refraction, as well as the behavior of light during interference. Lecture information briefly addresses the electromagnetic...

Discover the acoustical properties of brass instruments from this well researched site provided by the University of New South Wales. Everything from lip control to bell shape is discussed as it applies to frequencies and harmonics.

Conduct virtual experiments with water, sound, and light waves to determine the sine wave and patterns created in each.

In Physics, a motion that is regular and repeating is referred to as a periodic motion. Most objects that vibrate do so in a regular and repeated fashion; their vibrations are periodic. Learn more here about periodic motion and take the...

This is a five-question quiz related to the passage "The Effects of Ear Canal Acoustics on Hearing Ability."

Student groups rotate through four stations to examine light energy behavior: refraction, magnification, prisms and polarization. They see how a beam of light is refracted (bent) through various transparent mediums. While learning how a...

This article discusses the properties of electromagnetic radiation and photons.