Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference

Detail Page «

Website Detail Page

content provider: the Nuffield Curriculum Centre
written by the Nuffield Curriculum Centre

This web page contains a set of four ripple tank experiments on wave interference, appropriate for use in high school classrooms. The labs allow students to observe the actual phenomenon when pulses and waves pass through each other. Students are introduced to ripple tanks and gain confidence in using them by doing some simple experiments with pulses.

SEE RELATED ITEMS on this page for a Teachers' Guide on using ripple tanks, and for links to additional ripple tank experiments.

This item is part of a much larger collection of physics/astronomy experiments, sponsored by the UK's Institute of Physics and funded by the Nuffield Curriculum Centre.

http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossi...

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Oscillations & Waves - Wave Motion = Interference and Diffraction = Reflection and Refraction (Sound) = Transverse Pulses and Waves	- High School	- Instructional Material = Activity = Laboratory = Lesson/Lesson Plan

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics - AP Physics	- Lesson Plan - Laboratory - New teachers	Currently 0.0/5 Want to rate this material? Login here!

Safety Warnings

Intended Users:: Educator
Learner
Format:: text/html
Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 2006 The Nuffield Foundation
Additional information is available.
Keywords:: activities, experiment, hands-on, practical physics, ripple tank, strobe tank, transverse waves, wave experiments, wave interference, waves
Record Cloner:: Metadata instance created March 20, 2009 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:: March 8, 2012 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: October 17, 2007

Post a new comment on this item

This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.

Topic: Wave Energy
Unit Title: How Waves Move and Interact: Reflection, Refraction, Interference

With the use of a ripple tank, students can observe the phenomenon of wave interference, which occurs when pulses and waves pass through each other. Many students are amazed to discover that the two waves continue on their way as if there had been no encounter. This set of four lab experiments demonstrates interference with two sources, using fingers and vibrators to create the disturbance. See Content Support below for links to background information on wave interference and superposition.

Link to Unit:

ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!

Record Link

<a href="http://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=8738">Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference. October 17, 2007.</a>

AIP Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre, Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference (2006), WWW Document, (http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference).

AJP/PRST-PER

Nuffield Curriculum Centre, Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference (2006), <http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference>.

APA Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. (2007, October 17). Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference. Retrieved June 19, 2013, from http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference

Chicago Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference. October 17, 2007. http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference (accessed 19 June 2013).

MLA Format

Nuffield Curriculum Centre. Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference. 2006. 17 Oct. 2007. Nuffield Curriculum Centre. 19 June 2013 <http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Author = "Nuffield Curriculum Centre", Title = {Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference}, Volume = {2013}, Number = {19 June 2013}, Month = {October 17, 2007}, Year = {2006} }

Refer Export Format

%Q Nuffield Curriculum Centre
%T Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference
%D October 17, 2007
%U http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference
%O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source
%A Nuffield Curriculum Centre,
%D October 17, 2007
%T Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference
%V 2013
%N 19 June 2013
%8 October 17, 2007
%9 text/html
%U http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/practical-physics/ripples-crossing-interference

Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.

Citation Source Information

The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual.

The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References.

The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation.

The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ.

This resource is stored in a shared folder.

You must login to access shared folders.

Practical Physics: Ripples Crossing: Interference:

Is Supplemented By Practical Physics: Using Ripple Tanks

This is a link to the Teachers' Guide on acquiring and setting up ripple tank experiments in the classroom.

relation by Caroline Hall

Is By The Same Author and Covers a Similar Topic As Practical Physics: Basic Experiments with Ripple Tanks

This is a set of eight basic experiments developed to introduce high school and middle school students to ripple tanks as a tool for visualizing wave behavior.

relation by Caroline Hall

See details...

Know of another related resource? Login to relate this resource to it.