IV. PHYSICAL SCIENCE TOPICS

1. Matter and Energy
2. Changes in Matter
3. Motion of Objects
4. Waves and Vibrations

Additional Sites for Physical Science

1. Interactive Sites/Animations/Videos/Photographs
2. Lessons/Activities/Information
3. Searches/Periodicals/Projects
4. General Science Resources (Miscellaneous Sites)

Middle School

1. Benchmark 1 - "Explain how sound travels through different media."
   1. Acoustics of Baseball Bats - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      This site has animated wave patterns to show the acoustical vibration of baseball bats. Compares the vibration of a wood and aluminum baseball bat. Uses familiar objects to teach science concepts.
   2. Beyond Discovery - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1) New
      Actual text book that explains how sound travels through water. It explains the history of the first time it was discovered that sound travels through water. Shows what the sound waves look like as they travel through water. Cool site! This is a PDF file.
   3. Doppler Effect Two Sources - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      Students can manipulate frequency, speed of sound and speed of objects and then watch two waves vibrate and create interference patterns in this interactive simulation.Gizmo can only be used once a day without having to join.
   4. Doppler Effect Single Source - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      This page shows the doppler effect when sound comes from a single source. Gizmo can only be used once a day without having to join.
   5. Doppler Effect Applet - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1&5)
      Outstanding - This web site consists of an interactive airplane and human. Even though this site focuses on the Doppler Effect, students can clearly see and hear the illustrated sound waves as the airplane flies to and away from the human (sound traveling through a gas).
   6. Model Analysis of an Electric Guitar - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      This site shows how the shape of a guitar can affect the vibration pattern. Nice animations and additonal links for further student exploration.
   7. Nova Online - Sounds Underwater - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      Learn about animal sounds underwater and how water affects sound waves. This is an interactive true/false quiz that addresses the concept of speed of sound through different mediums. This site could be used by individual students or as a class activity.
   8. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.
2. Benchmark 2 - "Explain how echoes occur and how they are used."
   1. Echoes - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.2) New
      Outstanding! Five thumbs up. This has audio and reads the text to the kids. You could read it as a class off the computer, or have the kids listen to the computer read the text and discuss the information after the reading. There is also a mini quiz and animated visuals… How Cool!!!
   2. Longitudinal Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.2)
      Interactive graphics that depict what happens to the sound waves when the student "screams" by moving a "chunk." Displacement, velocity and acceleration are depicted. Gizmo can only be used once a day without having to join.
   3. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.
   4. Wave Motion - Echoes - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.2)
      Student interactive site. Needs ShockWave program to work the student activity. Students work on waves & vibrations to learn about echoes. Gizmo can only be used once a day without having to join.
3. Benchmark 3 - "Explain how light helps us to see objects."
   1. How Do We Know Light is a Wave? - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3&4) New
      Great examples and explanation of light as a wave and a lot of information concering the topic of light.
   2. BBC Science: How We See Things - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3) New
      This site allows students to investigate the bending of light using mirrors. A quiz is included.
   3. Information on How the Eye Works - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3)
      This site explains how the human eye uses light to help see objects.  Teachers could use this as reference material and learn about the eye before they begin teaching students about how light helps them see objects.
   4. Light, Reflection, and Refraction (GE) - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3&4)
      This site has the following categories: What is light?, Separating Light with a Prism, Bending Light, Reflecting Light, and Making a Pinhole Camera. Each section has well-written text and easy to follow directions for investigations. The Technology of Light section includes: Ways We Create Light, Types of Light Bulbs, and Completing a Circuit. There is also a section regarding History of Light.
   5. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.
4. Benchmark 4 - "Describe ways in which light interacts with matter."
   1. How Do We Know Light is a Wave? - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3&4) New
      Great examples and explanation of light as a wave and a lot of information concering the topic of light.
   2. Light, Reflection, and Refraction (GE) - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.3&4)
      This site has the following categories: What is light?, Separating Light with a Prism, Bending Light, Reflecting Light, and Making a Pinhole Camera. Each section has well-written text and easy to follow directions for investigations. The Technology of Light section includes: Ways We Create Light, Types of Light Bulbs, and Completing a Circuit. There is also a section regarding History of Light.
   3. Reflection and Refraction of Light -Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.4)
      Outstanding! Here are five interactive games about light: reflection, the visible spectrum and color, refraction, speed of light, and irregular reflection with shaped mirrors. It includes printable activity sheets for teachers that explain the games, give correct answers to the games, and extension activities. When students "win" some of the games they qualify to download a prize. The "prizes" are fun sheets with great light facts or how to build a periscope.
   4. Reflection of Light - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.4)
      This interactive site shows how light is reflected. You can manipulate the wavelength and angle to change the reflected light. You can also access extensive information on reflection by clicking on "Back to Reflection of Light" at the bottom of the page.
   5. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.
5. Benchmark 5 - "Describe the motion of vibrating objects."
   1. Creating Sound Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5) New
      Excellent discription of vibrations. Has a link to get more information at the bottom of the page. Click on: Where Do You Go From Here? and you are on your way.
   2. Doppler Effect Applet - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1&5)
      Outstanding - This web site focuses on properties of sound. See student hot links.
   3. Exploratorium Science "Snacks", Resonator lab - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6) New
      In this "Snack", wooden dowels of varying lengths, each loaded with the same mass, are vibrated at identical frequencies. When the vibration matches the resonant frequency of one of the dowels, that dowel vibrates with a large amplitude. Materials are listed to make a resonance demonstrator, probably best used as demonstration. Simple instructions and explanations provided.
   4. Google Images - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5) New
      This site is simple to use and has a lot of information about waves and vibration. You simply click on a picture of what you want to view and a discription pops up. Some could be used as a demonstration.
   5. Pendulum - Waves and Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5)
      Students are to work in groups to gather data regarding the relationship between the length of the pendulum and the length of the time it takes for one complete period. Once the students graph the data, they are then asked to predict the appearance of the graph if the length of the pendulum as 2X or 0.5X the original length. The teacher may adjust the difficulty of this lesson according to the level of the student.
   6. Science Activities with Sounds and Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1)
      This site shows how a drum head vibrates and illustrates with an MPEG movie, the motion of a vibrating object. Requires an MPEG player to view
   7. Science of Sound-Sound Site - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6)
      Students can play different sounds to gain an "ears on" experience with different wave forms. The visual design will keep students engaged in the activities. They can make sound with rulers, design an eardrum and experience slinky sound waves. Students can search for different sounds in the online database. You can add sounds to the database so the students can hear the specific sounds that tie in with the lesson.
   8. Seismic Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6)
      This site takes you through both p waves and s waves made during an earthquake and allows you to link to other sites with simulations.
   9. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.
6. Benchmark 6 - "Explain how mechanical waves transfer energy."
   1. Exploratorium Science "Snacks", Resonator lab - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6) New
      In this "Snack", wooden dowels of varying lengths, each loaded with the same mass, are vibrated at identical frequencies. When the vibration matches the resonant frequency of one of the dowels, that dowel vibrates with a large amplitude. Materials are listed to make a resonance demonstrator, probably best used as demonstration. Simple instructions and explanations provided.
   2. Introduction to Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.6)
      This site helps students to understand the basic structure of a wave. It gives students the opportunity to adjust different parts of a wave such as amplitude, wavelength, wave speed, and phase shift. This first page could be used for middle school students was well as the link entitled waves, while other links could be used for high school students to look at the physics of how waves behave and the trigonometric realms of waves.
   3. Science of Sound-Sound Site - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6)
      Students can play different sounds to gain an "ears on" experience with different wave forms. The visual design will keep students engaged in the activities. They can make sound with rulers, design an eardrum and experience slinky sound waves. Students can search for different sounds in the online database. You can add sounds to the database so the students can hear the specific sounds that tie in with the lesson.
   4. Secret Bells - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1&6)This site contains simple, easy to follow instructions for a variety of experiments and demonstrations. Related links for other physical science enablers.
   5. Seismic Waves - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.5&6)
      This site takes you through both p waves and s waves made during an earthquake and allows you to link to other sites with simulations.
   6. The Physics Classroom - Waves & Vibrations (IV.4.MS.1,2,3,4,5&6) New
      Outstanding! Has great explanations and great animations. This site covers all benchmarks under waves and vibration. Have fun, this is a goldmine of information.