Waves and Their Properties Science Games

In this series of games, your students will learn about the different types of waves, their anatomy, and how they are generated. The Waves and Their Properties learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Waves are disturbances that transfer energy from one place to another.

Mechanical waves travel through matter, causing it to vibrate, expand and contract (longitudinal waves), move up and down (transverse waves), side to side, or in circles. They include water waves, sound waves, and seismic waves. Their speed depends on the material they travel through.

There are many different measurements used to describe waves:

• Wavelength – the distance between two wave peaks.
• Amplitude – half the distance between the lowest point (trough) and highest point (crest or peak).
• Frequency – how many wavelengths pass over a period of time.
• Period – how long it takes for one wavelength to pass a single point.
• Speed – the distance a wave travels over time.

A mechanical wave’s energy is related to its amplitude and frequency. The higher these measurements are, the more energy the wave carries. In a sound wave, more amplitude means louder volume, and higher frequency means higher pitch.

Waves are created when energy is transferred. Some examples include: wind transfers kinetic energy to water, causing water waves; collisions cause matter to vibrate and make sound; shifting rocks transfer energy to each other and cause seismic waves.

When waves transfer energy, they can create other types of waves, such as when water waves crash into the shore and create sound waves.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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