Mobile Phones
Grade Level: 8th
Subject: Science
Time Frame: 8 weeks (April/May)
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Essential Questions
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- what are the advantages of digital communication compared to analog?
- what advancements were made throughout history that brought us to our current state of communication technology?
- what role does encryption play in the transmission of digital signals?
- what role does the binary system play in digital communication?
- what are the parts of a wave and what are the relationships between these parts?
- how do you calculate for wavelength, wave speed, frequency, and period?
- in what ways do waves interact with matter?
- how does an electromagnetic wave differ from a mechanical wave?
- what are the types of electromagnetic waves? how are they similar? how do they differ?
- how do sound waves travel?
- what factors impact the pitch and volume of a sound wave?
- what is the Doppler Effect and what causes it to occur?
- why do we see color?
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By the end of the unit, students will know:
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- there are advantages to communicating using digital technology rather than analog, such as increased privacy, clarity, etc.
- concerns with analog technology led to the Digital Revolution and a rapidly increasing development of digital technology
- computers and cellular phones communicate using the binary system
- waves are characterized by their amplitude, frequency, and wavelength
- waves can interact with matter in a number of waves, such as reflection, refraction, absorption, and transmission. This depends on the type of wave and the type of matter
- electromagnetic waves, unlike mechanical waves, do not need to travel through matter
- the type of electromagnetic wave depends on the wavelength
- color is produced as a result of visible light's absorption and reflection
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By the end of the unit, students will be able to:
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- use mathematical representations to describe a simple model for waves that includes how the amplitude of a wave is related to the energy in a wave
- develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials
- integrate qualitative scientific and technical information to support the claim that digitized signals are a more reliable way to encode and transmit information than analog signals
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Chapter: Mobile Phones
# of Days: 2
Topics:
- history of communication/ mobile phones
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Chapter: Waves
# of Days: 11
Topics:
- what are waves
- parts of a wave
- wave speed
- types of waves
- properties of waves
- standing waves
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Chapter: Sound Waves
# of Days: 11
Topics:
- sound as a wave
- sound as a mechanical wave
- properties of sound
- sources of sound
- interference
- Doppler Effect
- shock waves
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Chapter: Electromagnetic Waves
# of Days: 13
Topics:
- electromagnetic waves an their characteristics
- electromagnetic spectrum
- types of electromagnetic waves
- interactions of EM waves with matter
- communication with EM waves
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Chapter: Digital Signals
# of Days: 15
Topics:
- analog signals
- history of digital revolution
- Morse code
- binary code
- creating digital signals
- communicating with digital signals
- storing and processing digital signals
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Chapter: Explaining Mobile Phones
# of Days: 3
Topics:
- explaining mobile phones
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Standards
PS4.A; PS4.B; PS4.C; ETS1.B