Investigating the Invisible: Attenuation of Radio Waves

Anthony A. Smith and Charles A. Smith
Department of Chemistry, Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, TX 78207
J. Chem. Educ., 2005, 82 (4), p 560A
DOI: 10.1021/ed082p560A
Publication Date (Web): April 1, 2005

Abstract

Students often think of light as only being the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is often difficult for students to visualize the electric and magnetic fields that compose light and that different frequencies of light have different wavelengths. This Activity helps students to investigate these concepts in an interactive and novel fashion. In this Activity, students investigate properties of radiation using a handheld radio. Students compare the abilities of conductive and dielectric materials to attenuate, or block, radio waves, and compare the attenuation of AM vs. FM radio waves.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Demonstrations

Keywords (Feature):

JCE Classroom Activity

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning

Keywords (Subject):

Metals
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History

  • Received: August 03, 2009

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