1666 TEKS header image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that the total energy in systems is conserved through energy transfers and transformations.

Energy manifests in multiple phenomena, such as motion, light, sound, electrical and magnetic fields, and thermal energy. Energy can be modeled as either motions of particles or as stored in force fields (electric, magnetic, gravitational) that mediate interactions between particles. The total amount of energy in a system does not change, but it can be transferred between objects within the system.

Images like these can be useful when working with students to help them understand transverse and longitudinal waves.

There are two representations of types of waves. The top image shows a series of blocks that appear to be moving up and down creating a sine wave curve, or transverse wave. The bottom image shows a series of blocks that appear to be moving left and right, showing a compressional wave where alternating sections are bunched up or spread out.

Davezelenka, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

 

a type of wave in which the particles oscillate in the direction in which the wave propagates

a type of wave in which the particles oscillate perpendicular to the direction in which the energy propagates

Research

Farenga, Stephen J., Beverly A. Joyce, and Daniel Ness. “Science of the Symphony: Part I.” Science Scope 25, no. 4 (January 2002): 60–64. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43179860.

Summary: "Symphony of Sound" explains the concept of energy transfer through sound and liquid transverse and longitudinal waves. This article supports learning at this grade level and teacher conceptual development beyond this grade level.