Binary Codes and Digital Signal Storage

Begin with Sort Waves as Mechanical or Electromagnetic to review wave types, then use the amplitude and earthquake sheets together. The lens and spectrum sheets fit a light unit, and the binary sheet pairs well with a talk about phones and storage.

Decode a word from 5 bit binary codes and compare film, videotape, DVD and flash drive storage. The directions on the page read: Read the text and use the code table. Write the letters and codes in the boxes. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 8th grade waves and light, and it works the same at home or at school. At home, a student can work through it alone and then go over it with you, which shows quickly what is solid and what needs another look. In class it works as independent practice, homework or a warm-up, and you can print one copy or a full set.

Each element gives off light at its own set of wavelengths, so its spectrum works like a fingerprint. Hydrogen's visible lines sit near 410, 434, 486 and 656 nm. On Hydrogen's Line Spectrum and Light Waves, students match a star's dark lines to these values.

Each step of 1 on the magnitude scale means about 10 times larger amplitude on a seismograph and about 32 times more energy. Earthquake Magnitude, Amplitude and Energy has students compare three sample traces and fill in a table of steps.

Light spreads out in every direction, so the same energy covers a larger area farther away. When the distance doubles, the area is 4 times as large. Light Meter Readings at Increasing Distance checks this by multiplying each reading by the distance squared.