A series of worksheets that work on energy in the form of waves, light, sound, and even magnetism.

We see light all the time, in fact, it is the reason we can see at all. As a species, we associate dark with danger and soft colors as being good for us. How often have you thought to understand the good (in this case light) around you? Light is measured on units of waves and is a form of energy that moves in beams. Light waves are made up of energy in the form of an electric or magnetic field. Sunlight from the sun travels an average of ninety-four million miles to reach Earth. That is a bit of a trip, isn’t it? The light you see from the sun left eight minutes before you see it. Understanding light, in general, is interesting, but looking at how it reacts with various things around us, is even cooler. It can be bent and focused to do work for us and as a result it can actual be used as a tool.

The worksheets will show students how to break apart the anatomy of wave and calculate the key measures that differentiate waves from each other. Students will explore the key vocabulary that is associated with light and sound waves. They will explore how light waves bounce and refraction naturally and through a series of different lenses. We will also look at the concept of a magnetic field and how two magnets interact based on their specific properties. The really spend a great deal of time trying to help student visualize the concept of each form of energy.



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Print Waves and Light Worksheets

Click the buttons to print each worksheet and associated answer key.

Wave Diagrams

The diagram below depicts a wave. Label the diagram with the following terms in the appropriate locations: amplitude, crest, rest position, trough, wavelength.

Calculations Using Properties of Waves

Use your math skills to determine the velocity, wavelength, or frequency in each case.

Music and Sound Crossword

The study and control of noise and the vibrations that cause or influence noise.

Reflection of Light Rays

Draw an arrow depicting the light ray that would result when the incident ray shown hits a plane mirror

Tracking Refraction

Draw an arrow depicting the light ray that would result when the incident ray passes through each of the following substances. Use a protractor to measure the refracted angle and indicate it on the figure.

Convex Lenses and Light Rays

For the three objects below, draw lines showing the pathways of the light from the objects on the left through the convex lenses to the right. Use these to sketch where the inverted or virtual image would be and label the focal point or principal focus point.

Concave Lenses

Use these to identify which picture in the diagram is the image and label it as well as the focal point.

Prisms and the Light Spectrum

The diagram below depicts a beam of white light passing through a prism. On the blanks below, provide the colors that correspond to the labeled light rays exiting the prism.

The Properties of Light

Provide the letter of the definition or description in column II that matches the scientific terms in column I.

Magnetic Fields

Sketch lines with arrows to depict the overall pattern of magnetic fields that would be around these magnets and combinations of magnets.