Paul Andersen explains how a sine or cosine wave can describe the position of the wave based on wavelength or wave period.  A wave function can the position of a wave as a function or the amplitude and wavelength or the amplitude and period.

Paul Andersen explains how the location of matter can be determined at the nanoscale using the wave function. The absolute value of the wave function can be used to determine the probability of finding matter in a location.

Paul Andersen explains how waves interact with objects and with other waves. When a wave hits a fixed object it will be reflected and inverted. When a wave hits a free object it will be reflected without being inverted.

The wave model of the electron can be used to explain the Bohr model. Electrons are found in certain orbits because they interfere with themselves and create standing waves. When the wavelengths don't match up with a whole integer they will create destructive interference.

Paul Andersen explains the wave-particle duality discovered by scientists. In certain situations particles (like electrons and photons) display wave like properties. This phenomenon can best be explored using the double slit experiment. Small particles follow the rules of quantum mechanics creating results that are not very intuitive.

Paul Andersen explains how classical waves (like light) can have particle properties. Albert Einsetein used the photoelectric effect to show how photons have particle properties.

Paul Andersen explains how light can be treated as both a particle and a wave. Physicists use scale to determine which model to use when studying light. When the wavelength of light is equivalent to the size of the object a wave model is used.

Paul Andersen explains how the period is the time between wave and the frequency is the number of waves per second. Period is measured in seconds and frequency is measured in Hertz. Wave period and wave frequency are reciprocals of one another.

Paul Andersen explains how the wave speed measure the speed of a wave through a medium. The medium determines the speed of the wave. The velocity of the wave is equal to the product of the wavelength and the frequency of the wave.

Paul Andersen explains how waves interact when moving through one another. Unlike particles waves can interfere both constructively and destructively. The amount of interference is determined through the superposition principle and can be verified through experimentation.

Paul Andersen explains how the wavelength is the distance between oscillations in a wave. In a longitudinal wave this might be the distance between areas of compression. In a transverse wave it might be the distance between crests or troughs. A simulation and an example problem is included.

Mr. Andersen introduces the concept of waves. Both transverse and longitudinal waves are described. The relationship between wave speed, wave frequency and wavelength is also included.

Students learn about the types of waves and how they change direction, as well as basic wave properties such as wavelength, frequency, amplitude and speed. During the presentation of lecture information on wave characteristics and properties, students take notes using a handout. Then they label wave parts on a worksheet diagram and draw their own waves with specified properties (crest, trough and wavelength). They also make observations about the waves they drew to determine which has the highest and the lowest frequency. With this knowledge, students better understand waves and are a step closer to understanding how humans see color.

Building on an introduction to statics, dynamics free-body diagrams, combustion and thermodynamics provided by the associated lesson, students design, construct and test their own rocket engines using sugar and potassium nitrate an opportunity to apply their knowledge of stoichiometry. This activity helps students understand that the energy required to launch a rocket comes from the chemical energy stored in the rocket fuel. The performance of each engine is tested during a rocket launch, after which students determine the reasons for the success or failure of their rockets.

Students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of each of three liquids water, rubbing alcohol, vegetable oil can be placed on a penny before spilling over. Because of their different surface tensions, more water can be piled on top of a penny than either of the other two liquids. However, the main point of the activity is for students to come up with an explanation for their observations about the different amounts of liquids a penny can hold. To do this, they create hypotheses that explain their observations, and because middle school students are not likely to have prior knowledge of the property of surface tension, their hypotheses are not likely to include this idea. Then they are asked to come up with ways to test their hypotheses, although they do not need to actually conduct these tests as part of this activity.

Students are introduced to the concept of refraction. After making sure they understand the concepts of diffraction and interference, students work collaboratively to explain optical phenomena that cannot be accounted for via these two mechanisms alone. Then, through the associated activity, students see first-hand how refraction can work with interference to produce color patterns, similar to how nanosensors work. Finally, students apply their knowledge of refraction to the original challenge question to generate a possible solution in the form of a biosensor.

Students use modeling clay, a material that is denser than water and thus ordinarily sinks in water, to discover the principle of buoyancy. They begin by designing and building boats out of clay that will float in water, and then refine their designs so that their boats will carry as great a load (metal washers) as possible. Building a clay boat to hold as much weight as possible is an engineering design problem. Next, they compare amount of water displaced by a lump of clay that sinks to the amount of water displaced by the same lump of clay when it is shaped so as to float. Determining the masses of the displaced water allows them to arrive at Archimedes' principle, whereby the mass of the displaced water equals the mass of the floating clay boat.

What happens if we bring the sun to earth? No, seriously. The video "What Happens If We Bring the Sun to Earth?" is a resource included in the Physics topic made available from the Kurzgesagt open educational resource series.

Size is the most under appreciated regulators of living things. Let us demonstrate that by throwing animals from buildings. The video "What Happens If We Throw an Elephant From a Skyscraper? Life & Size 1" is a resource included in the Physics topic made available from the Kurzgesagt open educational resource series.

Did you ever wonder what happened if you detonated a nuclear bomb in the Marianas Trench? No? We neither! Let us find out together! The video "What If You Detonated a Nuclear Bomb In The Marianas Trench? (Science not Fantasy)" is a resource included in the Physics topic made available from the Kurzgesagt open educational resource series.