Unpacked Content
Scientific and Engineering Practices
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts
Structure and Function
Knowledge
Students know:
- Electromagnetic waves are a form of energy waves that have both an electric and magnetic field. Electromagnetic waves are different from mechanical waves in that they can transmit energy and travel through a vacuum.
- The different types of electromagnetic waves have different uses and functions in our everyday lives.
- Electromagnetic waves differ from each other in wavelength, frequency, and energy, and are classified accordingly. Wavelength is the distance between one wave crest to the next.
- Frequency refers to how often the particles of the medium vibrate when a wave passes through the medium
- The amount of energy carried by a wave is related to the amplitude of the wave. A high energy wave is characterized by a high amplitude; a low energy wave is characterized by a low amplitude. The amplitude of a wave refers to the maximum amount of displacement of a particle on the medium from its rest position.
- Electromagnetic waves can be used to encode information.
- Electromagnetic waves can be used to transmit information.
- Examples of common communication devices may include cellular telephones, radios, remote controls, Wi-Fi components, global positioning systems (GPS), and wireless technology components.
Skills
Students are able to:
- Gather evidence sufficient to explain a phenomenon that includes the idea that using waves to carry digital signals is a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than using waves to carry analog signals.
- Combine the relevant information (from multiple sources) to articulate the explanation.
Understanding
Students understand that:
- Common communication devices use electromagnetic waves to encode and transmit information.
Vocabulary
- Qualitative
- Information
- Communication devices (e.g., cellular phone, Global Positioning System (GPS), remote control, Wi-Fi, etc.)
- Electromagnetic waves
- Energy
- Energy wave
- Electric field
- Magnet
- Magnetic field
- Mechanical wave
- Vacuum
- Frequency
- Wavelength
- Crest
- Medium
- Amplitude
- Displacement
- Rest position
- Encode
- Transmit
