Unit: Waves, Sound & Optics
Every wave has an amplitude and a wavelength — and when white light passes through a prism, each wavelength bends by a different amount, splitting it into a spectrum.
Why It Matters
Sound, light, and water ripples are all waves carrying energy without carrying matter along with them. The same math that describes a guitar string resonating also describes why a prism — or a raindrop — can turn white light into a rainbow.
OpenStax AP Physics Chapter 17: Waves and Sound: Introduces longitudinal mechanical waves, frequency, amplitude, and acoustic resonance.
CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music: A visual spectacle mapping sound frequencies into complex standing wave patterns through various physical mediums.
How Speakers Make Sound: An animation detailing the conversion of electrical signals into mechanical vibrations to propagate sound waves.
Exploring Total Internal Reflection in Fiber Optics: Demonstrates Snell's Law and critical angles, essential for modern endoscopy and telecommunications.
How Do Blacklights Make Things Glow?: Discusses the electromagnetic spectrum, ultraviolet radiation, and the atomic excitation of phosphors.
How Do Rainbows Form?: A breakdown of the refraction, internal reflection, and dispersion of light through spherical water droplets.
Radar Detectors As Fast As Possible: An explanation of the Doppler effect and how detectors use electromagnetic wave frequencies to calculate vehicle speed.