Particles and Waves
Particles and waves are basic ideas used to describe any number things in the real world.
A particle is a discreet object in open space. As a practical physical experience, a particle is usually small relative to the observer. A ping-pong ball, a grain of sand, an electron.
The atomic world cannot be brought into the concrete and sensorial. We can present shapes and motions that will serve as scientific models. We can present the elements; those substances which are what they are in all states of matter and cannot be divided beyond a certain point and still be what they are. Elements, like Copper and Aluminum, are the types of primary materials out of which everything else is made. They are the particles of the macro world, the child's experiential world.
Elements can be directly combined to produce alloys and crystals and compounds. All of these can be combined into mixtures, ores, which how they are found in nature and are mined. The elements in all possible combinations provide the literal particles of everything the child encounters. Examples of elements in various states and combinations are readily available and easily placed in the primary classroom as sensorial exercises.
Particles have properties on a macro scale. They move. They absorb, reflect, conduct and produce sound. They emit, absorb, and reflect light. They absorb and conduct heat, changing size, volume and pressure as that energy is gained or lost. They combine. They react chemically, either absorbing or emitting energy. They can have electromagnetic fields and produce and conduct electricity. Particles spin, rotate and orbit. Particles have and respond to field energies: gravity, magnetism, emf, radiation, vibration. Particles can be rigid or elastic. Particles have four states: plasma, gaseous, liquid and solid. Particles collide.
At the primary level, particles are first presented as rigid and spinning only in the direction they are rolling, because the primary lesson to be learned is how they act when they interact as simply as possible. The basic interaction is collision. Particles hit and bounce off each other, including limiting barriers in the environment, in geometrically predictable patterns. Collision becomes more complex as properties are changed, for instance, collision between two balls one of which is elastic and spinning on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the roll.
Some of our classic games and toys teach macro particle physics: Marbles, Newton's Cradle, Billiards, which is marbles played with a stick. Any game that uses a ball. Snowballs are a particularly satisfying example of the interaction of particles and energy fields. Dirt balls are a bit darker. Hockey is a particularly good example of particle physics. Its got levers, blades, a puck and a goal, ice and attitude. Baseball is notable for the interaction of a solid flying and spinning in a gas in a gravitational field, that is to say, curve balls.
The equipment used to show primary mechanical interactions is described in the section on Motion. Here is are ideas of which we want the child to become consciously, conversationally aware.
Straight Motion, sliding, rolling and free falling.
Motion curved by a surface.
Motion curved by a direct energy input, a collision.
Motion curved by a field.
Spin
Orbit
Collision: reflection, diffraction, refraction. absorption.
Collision is deflection of motion and shape involving the absorption and emission of energy. Simple rigid objects that are also not spinning follow one basic rule. Angle in equals angle out. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection when one object is stationary. If a ball approaches a wall at a 45 degree angle it will bounce off at a forty five degree angle. So will a beam of Light, or a Sound.
Symmetry in reflection is a common property of particles and waves. Bounce a ping pong ball off a flat mirror resting on the floor. Then bounce a cat toy laser off that mirror. Angle in equals angle out. Making the beam of light visible requires spraying a mist which is a challenging primary activity in itself and the actual equality of angles is an eventual realization. The primary physical experience is that Light bounces just like a ball bounces. Given the opportunity children love to bounce Light.
Particles and waves are basic ideas used to describe any number things in the real world.
A particle is a discreet object in open space. As a practical physical experience, a particle is usually small relative to the observer. A ping-pong ball, a grain of sand, an electron.
The atomic world cannot be brought into the concrete and sensorial. We can present shapes and motions that will serve as scientific models. We can present the elements; those substances which are what they are in all states of matter and cannot be divided beyond a certain point and still be what they are. Elements, like Copper and Aluminum, are the types of primary materials out of which everything else is made. They are the particles of the macro world, the child's experiential world.
Elements can be directly combined to produce alloys and crystals and compounds. All of these can be combined into mixtures, ores, which how they are found in nature and are mined. The elements in all possible combinations provide the literal particles of everything the child encounters. Examples of elements in various states and combinations are readily available and easily placed in the primary classroom as sensorial exercises.
Particles have properties on a macro scale. They move. They absorb, reflect, conduct and produce sound. They emit, absorb, and reflect light. They absorb and conduct heat, changing size, volume and pressure as that energy is gained or lost. They combine. They react chemically, either absorbing or emitting energy. They can have electromagnetic fields and produce and conduct electricity. Particles spin, rotate and orbit. Particles have and respond to field energies: gravity, magnetism, emf, radiation, vibration. Particles can be rigid or elastic. Particles have four states: plasma, gaseous, liquid and solid. Particles collide.
At the primary level, particles are first presented as rigid and spinning only in the direction they are rolling, because the primary lesson to be learned is how they act when they interact as simply as possible. The basic interaction is collision. Particles hit and bounce off each other, including limiting barriers in the environment, in geometrically predictable patterns. Collision becomes more complex as properties are changed, for instance, collision between two balls one of which is elastic and spinning on an axis perpendicular to the axis of the roll.
Some of our classic games and toys teach macro particle physics: Marbles, Newton's Cradle, Billiards, which is marbles played with a stick. Any game that uses a ball. Snowballs are a particularly satisfying example of the interaction of particles and energy fields. Dirt balls are a bit darker. Hockey is a particularly good example of particle physics. Its got levers, blades, a puck and a goal, ice and attitude. Baseball is notable for the interaction of a solid flying and spinning in a gas in a gravitational field, that is to say, curve balls.
The equipment used to show primary mechanical interactions is described in the section on Motion. Here is are ideas of which we want the child to become consciously, conversationally aware.
Straight Motion, sliding, rolling and free falling.
Motion curved by a surface.
Motion curved by a direct energy input, a collision.
Motion curved by a field.
Spin
Orbit
Collision: reflection, diffraction, refraction. absorption.
Collision is deflection of motion and shape involving the absorption and emission of energy. Simple rigid objects that are also not spinning follow one basic rule. Angle in equals angle out. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection when one object is stationary. If a ball approaches a wall at a 45 degree angle it will bounce off at a forty five degree angle. So will a beam of Light, or a Sound.
Symmetry in reflection is a common property of particles and waves. Bounce a ping pong ball off a flat mirror resting on the floor. Then bounce a cat toy laser off that mirror. Angle in equals angle out. Making the beam of light visible requires spraying a mist which is a challenging primary activity in itself and the actual equality of angles is an eventual realization. The primary physical experience is that Light bounces just like a ball bounces. Given the opportunity children love to bounce Light.
A wave is a motion in a medium: air, water, Earth, plasma, strings, springs and rods, machines and buildings, living creatures and space itself.
Waves interact with particles. Energy flows into and from, through and around Matter.
Matter and Energy are famously, mathematically equivalent, as i, e=mc^2, a basic three part equation.
The medium can be matter in any state: solid, liquid, gas or plasma. The medium can also be space itself as in the case of Light, and perhaps gravity as well, which travels as a wave through a void thought by many to have no substance of its own and yet is capable of localized shape.
In a primary classroom waves can be made visible using light, apertures, lenses, water, rods, ropes and springs.
Waves can be made tactile through vibration.
Waves can be made auditory.
Waves can be made visual.
When waves meet with each other they don't collide or reflect. They merge. If not parallel, they pass through each other, combining to reinforce or cancel each other in specific patterns. On the other hand, a wave colliding with a particle or a barrier will be absorbed, reflect, refracted or diffracted, meaning bent and spread according to wavelength. If the barrier has an opening, like a slit, the wave will bend and spread as it passes through. Waves will also bend when passing through the surface of a medium, like a prism.
Waves change direction at edges and transitions between media.
The primary experiences of waves are:
Vibration
Shape
Length
Height
Transverse or sideways
Longitudinal or longways, compression waves.
Reflection
Interference
Waves interact with particles. Energy flows into and from, through and around Matter.
Matter and Energy are famously, mathematically equivalent, as i, e=mc^2, a basic three part equation.
The medium can be matter in any state: solid, liquid, gas or plasma. The medium can also be space itself as in the case of Light, and perhaps gravity as well, which travels as a wave through a void thought by many to have no substance of its own and yet is capable of localized shape.
In a primary classroom waves can be made visible using light, apertures, lenses, water, rods, ropes and springs.
Waves can be made tactile through vibration.
Waves can be made auditory.
Waves can be made visual.
When waves meet with each other they don't collide or reflect. They merge. If not parallel, they pass through each other, combining to reinforce or cancel each other in specific patterns. On the other hand, a wave colliding with a particle or a barrier will be absorbed, reflect, refracted or diffracted, meaning bent and spread according to wavelength. If the barrier has an opening, like a slit, the wave will bend and spread as it passes through. Waves will also bend when passing through the surface of a medium, like a prism.
Waves change direction at edges and transitions between media.
The primary experiences of waves are:
Vibration
Shape
Length
Height
Transverse or sideways
Longitudinal or longways, compression waves.
Reflection
Interference
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Again, the teaching process is to present each of these experiences in isolation and as a self-correcting activity having associated language.
A wave can be seen as a finite in size and traveling through its medium. It can also be seen from a fixed point of view in the medium as a series of events passing by. In this case the wave will have a measurable length which repeats and does so a countable number of times per unit of time, a tick. Since the wave is a regular repeating event it can actually be used as a clock as well as being an event compared to a separate clock.
Waves have a three part equation analogous to a particle's
speed = distance / time
and it is
velocity = wavelength x frequency
Velocity is speed with a definite direction, wavelength is a distance measurement and frequency is number of events divided by unit of time. So, like a particle, the speed of a wave comes down to Sticks and Ticks.
A wave can be seen as a finite in size and traveling through its medium. It can also be seen from a fixed point of view in the medium as a series of events passing by. In this case the wave will have a measurable length which repeats and does so a countable number of times per unit of time, a tick. Since the wave is a regular repeating event it can actually be used as a clock as well as being an event compared to a separate clock.
Waves have a three part equation analogous to a particle's
speed = distance / time
and it is
velocity = wavelength x frequency
Velocity is speed with a definite direction, wavelength is a distance measurement and frequency is number of events divided by unit of time. So, like a particle, the speed of a wave comes down to Sticks and Ticks.