Communication with Light and Sound - 1st Grade Science

The best object to start with if designing a device that uses light for communication would be the flashlight. The flashlight can be seen long distances, turned on and off, and can be flashed to send messages. A radio is excellent for communicating with sound but not light, and a mirror reflects light, but it doesn't make it's own light if you needed to communicate at night.

The best design plant would be "A bright sign that lights up from the inside and says "Yummy Tacos" in big, bold letters" because it would meet the design requirements. It would attract customers, be easy to see, uses light, and can be seen from a distance. Stores and restaurants use light to attract customers with their street signs, open signs, and colorful decorative lights.

The lights on the runway are intended to communicate where the safe place is for the plane to land. If it were to be improved, there could be more lights, brighter lights, and they could be added to both sides. Planes landing at night rely on these lights to get passengers to the ground safely. Part of the design process is making improvements on existing devices.

Both crosswalk screens and elevator buttons use light to send us a message. We can tell if the elevator is going up or down based on the lights, if the button for our floor has been pressed, or if the elevator is stuck based on the lights. A crosswalk will show us a hand or a walking figure when we need to stop or if it is safe to cross. It will also count down, so we know how long we have.

Waving a flashlight at night is a similar device to the lighthouse shining out to sea at night. Planes land in the dark and need to see the runway edges so they can line the plane up. Workers who wave the flashlights help keep the passengers and crew safe by letting the plane know where to land.

This is a true statement. Light is used to communicate and send messages every day. Everyday crosswalk signs, lighthouses, traffic lights, and so many more help to send messages to people all around. Light is made of waves, and we can use these waves to keep people safe and pass information.

The traffic light's purpose is to keep us safe and help drivers know when to go, slow down, or stop. You or your teacher could design a similar device to use in the classroom. The teacher could shine a red light to stop working, a green light to start working, and a yellow light for time is almost up. This would communicate the messages a teacher might share with light rather than sound.

This is an excellent example of how light can be used to communicate messages! Aly can use her laser pointer like a finger and point at the letters to spell her name or words to send the class a message. Without using sound, Aly can communicate to her teacher what she is thinking with this simple device!

You and your brother could come up with a secret code to communicate using a device like a lamp. Two clicks could mean no, one-click yes, and so on until you have a whole language. Messages are passed with light every day, thus creating your device to communicate is something that anyone can design.

Sound comes from human-made and natural sources. An example of a human-made source would be a radio. An example of a natural source of sound would be a waterfall. The sound travels to our ears the same if it is human-made or natural.

Vibrations create sounds. When something vibrates, like a rubber band, a sound is produced. The vibrations create sound waves that travel to our ears for processing.

Of all of the examples calling 911 during an emergency and talking to an operator is a way of communicating using sounds and solving a problem. The other choices make a sound, but there is no problem being solved. Many times we need to communicate with people over a distance, so inventions like the telephone help solve this issue.

One of the old-fashioned ways kids would communicate over a distance before there were cell phones and computers was to make their phones! You could attach two paper cups to either end of a string and use them to talk into and listen. The sound is transmitted, and friends could use them to speak across a yard or bedroom. The other options allowed people to communicate over a distance but were not using sound.

The best plan based on the teacher's instructions would be Group 1's plan. They have replaced spoken language with a communication system based on sound. They have an idea of what each sound means and how it will be used. The other group is relying on head shakes and using the drum for celebrating, not communicating.

The best way for Sadie to test her design is to build it and use it. If she makes it and finds some things that need to be fixed or changed, she can work on her design. If she never actually builds it, she won't know if it works.

The object that would be most useful for communicating over a distance would be the whistle. The other objects make noise, but they are quiet and may not be heard depending on how far the teacher separates the students. Reina could make different sounds with the whistle to communicate, so it could be an excellent place to start her device.

This statement is true. The best way to start the design process would be to ask questions about what you need to make, observe other devices already created or designed, and to gather information about needs and how things work.

The most important aspect listed for a device trying to communicate sound across a distance would be how loud it is. If the sound is too soft or quiet, no one will hear the message being sent. The "prettiness" of the sound and how heavy it is are not the most important characteristics.

A handbell would be the best device to choose if you were trying to communicate with other people using sound. A whisper does make a sound, but it will not travel far because it is so soft and quiet. A sign is a great way to share your location, but it does not use sound. A handbell is loud and could easily be heard.