When teaching wave properties like wavelength, frequency, amplitude, and speed in Year 10 physics, there are some fun experiments you can try!

1. Ripple Tank Experiment:
A ripple tank is a great tool to use. By making waves in water, you can see and measure important parts of waves. These include:

• Wavelength: The distance between the tops of waves.
• Frequency: How many waves happen in one second.
• Amplitude: The height of the waves.

This experiment gives a clear view of how waves work.

2. Slinky Waves:
You can use a Slinky to show different types of waves. Stretch it out and make waves by pushing and pulling one end. This helps students learn about:

• Amplitude: How tall the waves are.
• Wavelength: The distance between waves.

Students can even find out wave speed by using the formula:
Speed (v) = Frequency (f) × Wavelength (λ)

Here, v is speed, f is frequency, and λ is wavelength.

3. Sound Waves:
Using tuning forks is another exciting way to learn about sound waves. When you hit a tuning fork, it makes sound waves. You can use a smartphone app to see these waves. Measuring the frequency of the sound and comparing it to the wavelength helps connect what they’re learning to the real sounds around them.

These hands-on experiments make learning about wave properties fun and help students understand the topic better!