Waves, Light & Sound

25 Skills in Science. 25 are ready to try — three verified questions each, no account needed.

Ready to try

Ages 6–7
Communication with Light & Sound
Design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance
22 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 6–8
Light & Seeing in the Dark
Observe that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated by a light source
37 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 6–8
Light & Sound Vocabulary
Name and use vocabulary for how light and sound behave — light source, transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, reflect, vibration, pitch, volume — and apply these terms correctly when describing observations about how light travels and h…
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 6–7
Transparent, Translucent & Opaque
Investigate the effect of placing objects made of different materials in the path of a beam of light, discovering transparent, translucent, and opaque materials
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 6–9
Vibrations & Sound
Understand that vibrating materials can make sound, and that sound can make materials vibrate
13 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–8
How Shadows Form
Recognise that shadows are formed when light from a source is blocked by an opaque object, and find patterns in how shadow size changes
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–8
Protecting Eyes from Sunlight
Recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect eyes
13 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–8
Reflecting Light
Notice that light is reflected from surfaces, and that shiny smooth surfaces reflect light best
16 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 8–9
Pitch of Sounds
Find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 8–9
Sound Fading with Distance
Recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 8–9
Sound Travels Through Materials
Recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to the ear
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 8–9
Volume & Vibrations
Find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it
15 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
How We See Objects
Develop a model to describe that light reflecting from objects and entering the eye allows objects to be seen
13 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–10
Patterns & Codes for Information
Generate and compare multiple solutions that use patterns to transfer information, such as codes and signals
21 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Wave Behaviour Vocabulary
Use technical vocabulary for wave behaviour — refraction, absorption, reflection, scattering, amplitude, frequency, wavelength, echo, spectrum, angle of incidence, angle of reflection — and apply these when explaining how light and sound t…
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–10
Waves & How They Move
Develop a model of waves to describe patterns in terms of amplitude and wavelength, and understand that waves can cause objects to move
13 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 10–11
Light Travels in Straight Lines
Recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines and use this to explain how we see objects and why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–12
How Sound Waves Travel
Explain that sound is produced by vibrating objects and travels as a longitudinal pressure wave through solids, liquids, and gases; describe reflection of sound (echoes) and absorption; explain why sound cannot travel through a vacuum
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–12
Reflection & Refraction
State the law of reflection (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and explain refraction as the change in speed and direction when light crosses a boundary between two media; apply ray diagrams for plane mirrors and refracting surfaces
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–12
Wave Properties & Types
Describe waves in terms of amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and wave speed; distinguish transverse waves (oscillation perpendicular to direction of travel) from longitudinal waves (oscillation parallel); and use the wave equation v = fλ
32 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–12
White Light & Colour
Explain that white light is a mixture of all visible colours (ROYGBIV), describe dispersion through a prism, explain why objects appear coloured (selective reflection and absorption of wavelengths), and describe colour mixing with filters
13 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
Drawing Ray Diagrams
Draw ray diagrams to show reflection at a plane mirror (angle of incidence = angle of reflection) and refraction at a boundary between media; use ray diagrams to locate images and explain how lenses and mirrors work
5 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
Ray Diagrams & Images
Construct ray diagrams to show the formation of images by plane mirrors and converging lenses, identifying whether images are real or virtual, magnified or diminished, upright or inverted
5 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Describe the full electromagnetic spectrum from radio waves to gamma rays, in order of increasing frequency and energy; explain that all EM waves travel at the same speed in a vacuum; and describe the uses and hazards of different regions
12 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
Waves & Different Materials
Explain how waves can be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected by different materials, and apply these interactions to explain colour perception, sight, communication technologies, and the effects of different surfaces on wave behaviour
20 verified questions on this shelf

Skill names and descriptions include the Marble Skill Taxonomy © Generative Spark, Inc. (withmarble.com), licensed under ODbL 1.0 (database) and CC BY-SA 4.0 (content). Practice questions are GlowGrades's own, each checked by independent verifiers that must agree before a child ever sees it.