This resource, from ESA, is intended to familiarise students between the ages of 11 and 14 with the subject of satellite imagery. Satellite images are of increasing importance in a great many domains and are dramatically changing the way the world and physical phenomena are perceived.

Their use and...

This Catalyst article describes how the salty water in the oceans has some consequences for how the ocean water mixes – or does not mix. There are distinct bodies of water in the oceans which mix only very slowly. The experiments detailed in the article will explain why this is.

The article is from Catalyst...

In this resource from the European Space Agency, students design and develop an entire space mission to Mars. The objective of the mission is to send a programmed LEGO rover to the surface of the Red Planet to study changes in state of water. Students take temperature measurements and interpret the data collected...

The spacecraft that have orbited around Mars and landed on its surface have shown us (via images and data) that there is no liquid water on the surface of Mars. However, these satellite images have also revealed to us features that appear to have been created or carved out by flowing water. In fact, scientists feel...

Scientists must design and evaluate many ways of extracting water from the lunar permafrost before planning lunar colonies and manned missions using the moon as a base.

In this activity students will construct a solar water collector. Using the collector, students will collect and calculate the amount of...

In this lesson students look at the related concepts of pressure and force (pressure = Force/ Area), units used, measurement and how a large force can result from pressure acting over a given area. They will move from calculating the weight (under gravity) of a column of water or air to the pressure of this as...

Comparing two sine waves of different amplitudes, this video shows that the intensity of a wave is proportional to the square of the amplitude.  The intensity is given I = ^P/_A, i.e., power per cross-sectional area.

In the simulation students can watch a string vibrate in slow motion. You can wiggle the end of the string and make waves, or adjust the frequency and amplitude of an oscillator. The simulation also allows you to adjust the damping and tension.

Sample learning outcomes include:

*Discuss wave...

This video summarises the properties of waves, i.e., reflection, refraction, diffraction and polarisation using a free App called Ripple free by Paul Falstad.  The App is very effective and versatile. 

This video uses a jelly baby wave machine to introduce the motional properties of progressive and standing waves and to introduce key terminology.

A displacement – distance graph is used to define wavelength (λ) and the phase of a wave.  A complete wave cycle is 360⁰ and from this the position of a particle...

This video explains the observations when two coherent light waves interact to form fringes.  A diagram is used to show that

λ = ^(ax)/_d, where a = slit separation and D = the distance between the slit and the projection screen, and x = distance between fringes. From these measurements...

This video introduces explains the difference between the phase difference of a wave (measured in degrees) and the path difference of a wave (measured in metres of fraction of a wavelength). 

When waves are coherent and have a path difference that is a multiple of λ, then the interference is constructive. ...

This video begins by asking the question, “why do we see rainbow colours on the surface of a DVD?”.

Light from a laser is shone through a diffraction grating to demonstrate a diffraction pattern.  The terms 0^th, 1^st and 2^nd order maxima are introduced and explained using the...

This video recaps on the idea that light sent along an optical fibre requires total internal reflection for it to progress along its length. It explains that information is sent as a series of on – off signals.  However, if light rays take different paths they can be modally dispersed, and this can degrade the...