Spring Wave Speed Lab

My first lab with the spring wave speed used to be a prescribed method of stretching the spring, then keeping the length the same, but not using all of the spring, using the unstretched spring amount as a stand-in for tension, etc. ... It became more about direction-following and less about understanding than I wanted, and I had to dismiss the possibilities of amplitude, etc. affecting the wave speed. At the end of it all, they still didn't have the main idea (that wave speed only depends on properties of the medium) in mind very well.

I've gone to a more open-ended WCYDWT-style lab:
"Here's a slinky: look at these cool wave pulses. What do you think might affect their speeds?"

Take down the list dutifully - this year's ideas:
First section:
- Spring tension
- Amplitude
- Carpet vs. tile floor
- Horizontal vs. vertical pulses
Second section:
- Spring stretch
- Amplitude
- Frequency (this was a fun one to test. There was a metronome involved, and it was tricky to measure the speeds of the lower frequency waves, but it was a good experience for the hearty)

They did a much better job of experimental design, whiteboarding, and presentation than in the past. I'm still having to answer too many questions/guide Socratically too much about what should be on the axes and what the order of the axes should be, but the Honors classes are much better in that regard. Time will hopefully improve this situation for both. Everybody's getting the experience of designing and analyzing, and of calculating the wave speed, too, regardless of their question.

The whiteboards: