Teacher Resources
The Physics Classroom has been devoted to helping students, teachers, and classrooms since the 1990s. We are as passionate about that mission now as we have ever been. If you are a teacher of Physics or Physical Science, we encourage you to use our Video Tutorial with your students. And we also encourage you to consider the use of other resources on our website that coordinate with the video. We have listed a few below to help you get started.
Curriculum Corner: Wave Motion
Try our Curriculum Corner for a Think Sheet or a whole unit of Think Sheets and get your students thinking about waves. If the video is homework; then these are awesome next day starters. This is free curriculum for the taking. And for a few extra bucks, you can obtain the source documents and purchase a license to place them and any deriviative from them on your course management pages; see
the Solutions Guide.
Physics Interactives: Waves and Sound - Simple Wave Simulator
This is a very popular simulation and one worth using with your classes. It comes with a classroom-ready student activity sheet. And don't forget the Concept Checker as a follow-up. Between our video, our simulations, and you're usual engaging labs, you're going to have some awesome lesson plans.
Minds On Physics, Wave Motion: Mission WM3
Mission WM3, titled The Speed of a Wave, focuses on the meaning of wave speed, factors that affect and do not affect wave speed, and the mathematics of wave speed. This provides great chance for students to dive a bit deeper.
Concept Builder: Waves and Sound - Matching Pairs - Wave Characteristics
Very few students fail to see the value in a Concept Builder. These interactive exercises provide ample ooportunity to put conceptual understandings to use. This one pertains to wave speed, wavelength, amplitude, frequency, and period. It is an exceptional review of this video and the two that came before it in our Tutorial Series on Vibrations and Waves.
Concept Builder: Waves and Sound - Waves: Case Studies
In this Concept Builder, students will learn how to predict the effect of wave properties and medium properties upon the speed and wavelength of a wave. It's great practice for the concepts in the last half of the video.
Calculator Pad, Vibrations and Waves, Problem Set WM5
Calculator Pad problem sets make for awesome problem-solving practice. They provide problems with random numbers, an answer field, and lots of help. Students enter an answer and have it checked; they can correct it if it's wrong. Problem Set WM5 includes six v=d/t calculations for wave speed. Each problem is accompanied by some form of help.
Physics Classroom Tutorial: Vibrations and Waves Chapter, Lesson 2 - Speed of a Wave
Our written tutorial pages provide a thorough, easy-to-understand, common-sense approach to Physics topics. This particular page addresses the same topics covered in the video. As such, it makes a great reference for a quick check-up or clarification of an idea.