Skip to content
PlayOwl

Science · Grade 7

Waves, Signals and Information

Learners describe waves by amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period, link amplitude to the energy a wave carries, and calculate with wave speed = frequency × wavelength. They compare mechanical waves, which need a medium, with electromagnetic waves, use a string simulation to connect frequency and pitch, and explain how materials reflect, absorb or transmit waves. The course ends with analog and digital signals and how many messages a code of bits can carry.

  • 5 lessons
  • About 120 minutes
  • Waves, signals and information check: 12 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, draw a graph, label a picture, match pairs and type a number
Try it now (no account) One of the five free starter courses Open in PlayOwl

What learners will discover

  • Describe a wave by its amplitude, wavelength, frequency and period, read these from graphs and data, and relate a larger amplitude to more energy carried.
  • Use wave speed = frequency × wavelength (v = fλ) to calculate speed, frequency or wavelength with correct units.
  • Distinguish mechanical waves, which need a medium, from electromagnetic waves, and relate pitch to frequency and loudness to amplitude.
  • Explain how materials reflect, absorb or transmit waves, and use echoes to calculate distances.
  • Distinguish analog signals from digital signals, and work out how many different codes a given number of bits can represent.

Lessons

  1. Describing waves 8 steps4 practiceabout 22 min
  2. Wave speed: v = fλ 8 steps5 practiceabout 22 min
  3. Mechanical and electromagnetic waves; pitch and loudness 9 steps5 practiceabout 24 min
  4. Reflection, absorption and transmission 8 steps5 practiceabout 22 min
  5. Analog and digital signals 8 steps5 practiceabout 18 min
  6. Waves, signals and information check 12 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Bridge LabBuild a bridge from beams, brace it with triangles, and stay on budget.
  • Circuit Workshop 3DWire up batteries, bulbs and switches on a 3D workbench.
  • River MysterySomething changed the river. Sample sites with a limited budget, follow the evidence and find where the change begins.

More 7th grade science

Guide for grown-ups