Lesson Objectives
Lesson Goal - Students will explore the Doppler effect using sound with the phyphox App
Guiding Questions - Does motion affect sound waves?
How does this apply to our understanding of planets or stars in the universe?
Guiding Questions - Does motion affect sound waves?
How does this apply to our understanding of planets or stars in the universe?
Curricular Connections
Links to the British Columbia Science 10 Curriculum (reference)
Big Idea - The formation of the universe can be explain by the Big Bang Theory
Content - Astronomical data and collection methods
Curricular Competencies
Content - Astronomical data and collection methods
Curricular Competencies
- Questioning and Predicting
- Formulate hypothesis and predict multiple outcomes
- Formulate hypothesis and predict multiple outcomes
- Planning and Conducting
- Collaboratively plan lab experiments to collect reliable data
- Select and use appropriate equipment, including digital technologies, to systematically and accurately collect and record data
- Collaboratively plan lab experiments to collect reliable data
- Processing and Analyzing
- Seek and analyze patterns, trends, and connections in data, including describing relationships between variables (dependent and independent)
- Construct, analyze, and interpret graphs (including interpolation and extrapolation), models, and/or diagrams
- Seek and analyze patterns, trends, and connections in data, including describing relationships between variables (dependent and independent)
- Evaluating
- Evaluate their methods and experimental conditions, including identifying sources of error or uncertainty, confounding variables, and possible alternative explanations and conclusions
- Describe specific ways to improve their investigation methods and the quality of the data
- Evaluate their methods and experimental conditions, including identifying sources of error or uncertainty, confounding variables, and possible alternative explanations and conclusions
- Applying and Innovating
- Transfer and apply learning to new situations
- Transfer and apply learning to new situations
Background and Required Materials
Background
- To understand the Doppler effect, students need a basic understanding of waves (wavelength, frequency, amplitude, pitch, and the relationship between these variables)
- This can be done as a demonstration in front of the class, as a guided inquiry, or an open inquiry investigation
- Two devices (smart phone or tablet), each with the phyphox App installed
- A setting with minimal ambient noise
Structured Inquiry
Procedure
- Students make a prediction about what they think will happen in the experiment
- In pairs, students will use one phone to act as the sound source, and the other phone to measure the Doppler effect
- One one phone, open the Tone Generator and set the frequency to 1000 Hz. On the other phone, open the Doppler effect and set the base frequency to 1000 Hz. Leave the other setting unless instructed to change them by the teacher.
- Press play on the Tone Generator to make a sound at the specified frequency. Press play on the Doppler effect and move the phone slowly towards and away from the sound source 5 times. Stop both sensors
- Export the data from phyphox and analyze the results of the frequency graph
- According to the graph, what happens to frequency with motion towards the sound source? Away from the sound source? Use data from your experiment in your explanation.
- Explain what happens to the wavelength of the sound waves as they move towards the source? Away from the source? Explain
- This experiment was done using sound waves, how might movement affect light waves?
- Do the results change when moving the sound source instead? What about if both phones are moving? Design an investigation to test your hypothesis.
Open Inquiry
- Using the sensors in the phyphox app, design an experiment to test how movement affects sound waves.
- Design a data table to record results
- Export the data from the phyphox app and analyze the results to answer the guiding question
- Evaluate the experimental procedure for potential sources of error or impovements
- Apply understanding of the Doppler effect with sound waves to light waves (design another experiment to test?)
- Explain how this applies to our understanding of the Big Bang Theory
Teacher Notes
Teacher Handout - with screen shots from the App
Student Structured Inquiry Handout Student Open Inquiry Handout Links to helpful pages Teacher Notes - accompanying the video Doppler Effect Wiki Page |
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