How are These Two Waves Different?

Both animations below show different waves that are moving the air around a hand/paw. Use what you observe and the information provided to answer the questions that follow.


Wave A


Their hand is moving a maximum of 12 inches away from the midline.

Their hand is passing the midline every 0.5 seconds.
NGSS Phenomena: A man standing on a boat, waving rapidly with wide movements.
Wave B


Their paw is moving a maximum of 6 inches away from the midline

Their paw is passing the midline every 1 second
NGSS Phenomena: A bear waving slowly, with a small movement from side to side.

1. Of these two types of waves, which one has a higher frequency?

2. Of these two waves, which one has a greater amplitude?

3. What about each of these phenomena makes it a wave?

4. If one of these waves had a greater amplitude, how would that change the motion of the hand/paw?

5. If the frequency of one of these waves was changed, how would we be able to observe this?

6. If the maximum distance that wave A moved from the midline was changed to 6 inches, what effect would this have on its energy? Identify a relationship between the energy of the wave and its amplitude, wavelength, or frequency. Refer to the mathematical model of a wave to support your response.

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This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • MS-PS4-1

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

This multiple choice question aligns to the following standards

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • MS-PS4-1

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • Patterns

  • MS-PS4-1

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • MS-PS4-1

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

  • Patterns

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • MS-PS4-1

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • Patterns

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

This free response question aligns to the following standards

  • PS4.A: Wave Properties

  • Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

  • Patterns

  • MS-PS4-1

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