Skip to Main Content
PhET Home Page
University of Colorado
Created 3/29/16. Updates available online.

Wave on a String

Wave on a String Screenshot
  • Waves
  • Frequency
  • Amplitude
HTML5 Badge Back to HTML5 Version

About

Topics

  • Waves
  • Frequency
  • Amplitude

Description

Explore the wonderful world of waves! Even observe a string vibrate in slow motion. Wiggle the end of the string and make waves, or adjust the frequency and amplitude of an oscillator.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Discuss wave properties using common vocabulary.
  • Predict the behavior of waves through varying medium and at reflective endpoints.
Version 2.04

For Teachers

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Title Gold Star Contribution Contribution by PhET Authors Level Type
Wave unit (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 Demo
Lab
Waves on a String (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 Lab
CQs
EM wave analogy tutorial A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Noah Podolefksy UG-Intro Lab
Wave demonstrations: water, sound, light (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro		 Demo
CQs
Wave clicker questions (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 CQs
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS		 CQs
Speed of a Wave NGSS aligned A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Susie Dykstra HS Lab
Sound and Wave Basics A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Dr. Wendy Adams and the Acoustical Society HS
MS
UG-Intro		 HW
Inquiry Activity: Waves A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Christina Zaccagnino MS Lab
Guided
Investigating Properties of Transverse Waves A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Elyse Zimmer HS Lab
Properties of a wave A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Jackie Esler MS CQs
Lab
Waves & The Electromagnetic Spectrum A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Phil Cook HS HW
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS Other
Wave Investigation Chuck Faber MS Lab
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS		 Other
Measuring waves using wave on a string model Richard Knights HS Lab
Guided
Finding Wave Properties Karen King, Stephan Graham HS Lab
Transverse Standing Waves Exploration Kevin Slattery HS Lab
Wave on a String Independent Student Learning Guide Valerie Chapple HS
MS		 Lab
Verschil amplitude en frequentie Gerrit de Wit MS Lab
Properties of a Wave Lab Jason Acosta HS Lab
Oscillate Waves and Wavelengths Kim Wu MS CQs
Lab
Wave on a String Student Learning Guide Kathleen Miller MS Lab
Wave Refraction and Reflection Christine Deyo HS Lab
Wave Exporation Michael Noel MS
HS		 Demo
Finding the speed of a wave on a string J. Howard HS Lab
Properties of waves Kristi Goodwin MS CQs
Standing Waves Exploration N Whipple HS Lab
Applications of Sinusoidal Functions Andrzej Sokolowski HS Lab
Slinky Lab With PhET Waves Simulation Chris Bires HS Lab
Wave pre-lecture introduction for regular level Steve Banasiak HS Lab
Sound Virtual Practical Activity Bruce Carpenter HS Lab
Modeling: deriving "v =(wavelength)(f); et al. T. Egan, J. Marino HS Lab
Reflection and Interference of Waves Paul Williams, Myra West UG-Intro Lab
Wave on a String Simulation S. Pennington HS CQs
Lab
Wave Motion unknown unknown HS HW
Investigating waves Nancy Flowers HS Lab
Wave on a string--the basics Chris Cochran MS Lab
Waves Review Michael F. Gallo HS Lab
HW
Wave on a String Gretchen Swanson HS Lab
Standing Waves Stephan Graham HS Lab
Waves on a String Discovery Activity Lori Andersen HS Lab
Waves Robert Kennedy HS Lab
Waves on a String Katherine Frett HS Lab
Wave on a String Comparison curt miller HS Lab
Measurement of wave parameters Gagik Demirjian MS
HS		 Lab
Demonstartion of waves on a string Gagik Demirjian MS Demo
줄의 피동 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
UG-Intro		 Lab
Demo

Share an Activity!

Translations

Language Download or Run Tips
Albanian All shqipe Run now Vala në një Sustë
Arabic All العربية Run now موجة على وتر
Arabic (Saudi Arabia) All العربية (السعودية) Run now موجة على وتر
Basque All Basque Run now Uhina soka batean
Belarusian All беларускі Run now Хвалі ў струне
Bosnian All Bosanski Run now TALAS NA ŽICI
Chinese (Simplified) All 中文 (中国) Run now 绳波
Chinese (Traditional) All 中文 (台灣) Run now 繩波
Croatian All hrvatski Run now Valovi na žici
Czech All čeština Run now Vlnění na vlákně
Danish All Dansk Run now Stående bølge
Dutch All Nederlands Run now Golf op een koord
Estonian All Eesti Run now Lainetus ahelas
Finnish All suomi Run now Aalto jousessa
French All français Run now Onde sur une corde
Galician All Gallegan Run now Onda nunha corda
Georgian All Georgian Run now ტალღები სიმში
German All Deutsch Run now Seilwelle
Greek All Ελληνικά Run now wave-on-a-string
Hebrew All עברית Run now גלים על מיתר
Hungarian All magyar Run now Hullámzó gyöngyfüzér
Indonesian All Bahasa Indonesia Run now Gelombang Pada Tali
Italian All italiano Run now Onde sulla corda
Japanese All 日本語 Run now 弦を伝わる波
Kannada All Kannada Run now ದಾರದ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಲೆ
Kazakh All Kazakh Run now Толқын толық тәуелділікте
Khmer All Khmer Run now រលកលើខ្សែ
Korean All 한국어 Run now 줄의 파동
Kurdish (Turkey) All Kurdish (Turkey) Run now Pêlên Kevanê
Macedonian All македонски Run now Бранови на жица
Marathi All मराठी Run now दोरी वरील लाट
Norwegian Bokmal All Norsk bokmål Run now Bølge på en tråd
Persian All فارسی Run now موج در ریسمان
Polish All polski Run now Fale na linie
Portuguese All português Run now Simulador de Onda numa Corda
Portuguese (Brazil) All português (Brasil) Run now Onda em Corda
Russian All русский Run now Волны в струне
Serbian All Српски Run now ТАЛАС НА ЖИЦИ
Slovak All Slovenčina Run now Vlnenie v rade bodov
Slovenian All Slovenščina Run now Valovanje na struni
Spanish All español Run now Onda en una Cuerda
Spanish (Peru) All español (Perú) Run now Onda en una cuerda
Spanish (Spain) All español (España) Run now Onda en una cuerda
Swedish All svenska Run now Vågor på ett rep
Thai All ไทย Run now คลื่นในเส้นเชือก
Turkish All Türkçe Run now Telde Dalga Hareketi
Turkmen All Turkmen Run now Simde bolan tolkun hadysasy
Vietnamese All Tiếng Việt Run now Sóng trên một sợi dây

Software Requirements

Windows Macintosh Linux
Microsoft Windows
XP/Vista/7
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
OS 10.5 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later
Macromedia Flash 9 or later

Credits

Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Interviewer: Wendy Adams
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow
©2016 University of Colorado.
Some rights reserved.