To see how water waves can bend and spread, we can do a simple experiment with a wave tank. This helps us understand how waves behave when they go through openings or around things in their way.

What You Need:

1. Wave Tank: A long, shallow container filled with water that's about 10 cm deep.
2. Wave Generator: A device that makes regular waves in the water.
3. Obstacles: You can use things like a barrier with a small opening or some small pebbles.
4. Ruler: To measure the waves.

How to Do the Experiment:

1. Set Up the Wave Tank: Fill the tank with water and let it sit for a bit.
2. Turn on the Wave Generator: Set it to make consistent waves, usually about 0.5 times every second (0.5 Hz).
3. Watch the Waves: First, look at the waves without any obstacles. They should be nice and even across the tank.
4. Add Obstacles: Now, put a barrier with a small slit or some pebbles in the way of the waves.
5. Write Down What You See: Measure how far apart the waves are (this is called the wavelength, usually about 0.5 meters). Notice how the waves bend and spread after they go through the slit or around the pebbles.

Collecting Your Data:

• Wavelength: This is how far apart the high points of the waves are.
• Angle of the Spreading Waves: Use a protractor to measure how far the waves spread out after going through the slit.

What You Learn:

When you change the size of the opening or the shape of the obstacle, you can see how much the waves bend. If the opening size is similar to the distance between the waves (wavelength), you will notice that the waves spread out a lot. You can measure and compare these angles to see how they change!