Wave Lab
Measure waves, compare sounds and trace light rays bouncing and bending.
Wave Lab starts with a drawing of a wave. Children name its parts, such as the crest, trough, rest position, wavelength and amplitude, and soon use those words to compare two waves. One question asks which has the greater amplitude or the longer wavelength; another asks which carries more energy, or which sound is louder or has a higher pitch.
Then the game gives the wave a grid, so children can read the wavelength and amplitude as numbers. They separate transverse waves from longitudinal waves, count wavelengths, find a frequency in hertz, and use speed equals frequency times wavelength. The final level turns to light and asks about reflection angles, bending and absorbed light.
What children practice
- Name the crest, trough, wavelength and amplitude of a wave
- Compare two waves by amplitude, wavelength and frequency
- Connect amplitude to loudness and frequency to pitch
- Read wavelength and amplitude from a grid
- Calculate frequency or wave speed from wavelength
- Find reflection angles and see how light bends
Levels
- Level 1: Name the wave parts
- Level 2: Compare two waves
- Level 3: Read the grid
- Level 4: Transverse or longitudinal
- Level 5: Count and calculate
- Level 6: Light rays
How it works
- Six levels go from wave parts to calculations and light rays.
- Five right answers plus the practice timer unlock the next level.
- A wrong answer brings a try again message, and your child may choose again.
- Every question has a speaker button, and each right answer shows a short reason.
Best for: A good fit for grades 4 to 8 when children are learning about sound and light or need practice reading wave diagrams.
Tip for parents: Tie a rope or a long spring to a chair and make waves together. Ask your child to make a wave with a bigger amplitude and then a shorter wavelength, and describe what changed.
Questions parents ask
Does Wave Lab cover both sound and light?
Yes. Early levels compare sounds by loudness and pitch, and Level 4 uses sound as an example of a longitudinal wave. Level 6 turns to light rays, with reflection, the angle of incidence, and light bending as it enters or leaves a medium.
Is there math in the game?
Level 5 has some. Children count wavelengths, find frequency from the time one wave passes, and use frequency and wavelength to find speed in meters per second. Earlier levels need only reading and comparing.
What is the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves here?
Level 4 shows a drawn wave and asks which kind it is. Transverse waves have crests and troughs, while longitudinal waves have squeezed and stretched parts. Examples include sound and a slinky pushed and pulled along its length.
Ready to try it?
Wave Lab is free with a parent account. A parent adds a child profile, and the child's progress is saved.