Find out what makes a  wave, how sound travels and how fishermen stayed in touch at sea before the invention of radio.

Find out what makes a wave, how sound travels and how fishermen stayed in touch at sea before the invention of radio.

The nature of sound waves

This album explores the science of waves. Five video tracks feature two pair trawling fishermen from the Cornish village of Looe. Their lives and livelihoods depend on gadgets like radio, GPS and radar. This album explores the physics behind this technology, gives a simple introduction to wavelengths and looks back to the discovery of electromagnetism and the invention of radio. To demonstrate just how vital waves are, the two captains turn off their modern communication tools and try traditional methods of keeping in touch. In addition, two bonus video tracks explore Newton's laws of motion and Einstein’s special theory of relativity, which give us our most basic insight into space and time. This material forms part of the course S207 The physical world.

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The nature of sound waves

The nature of sound waves

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