Light and sound
Sound and communication
Learn how sound travels through solids, liquids and gases and how people and animals use sound to communicate.
How are sounds made?
Sounds are made when objects vibrate. The vibrations enter your ear and you hear them as sound. Find out more about how sound travels.
How are sounds detected?
Sound waves make the eardrum vibrate and then send messages to the brain. Find out more about how the ear detects sounds.
What is pitch?
A drum with a tight skin makes a high pitched wave. Find out more about sound waves and pitch.
What is the volume of sound?
Sounds are vibrations that travel through the air. A weak vibration doesn't travel very far. Discover more about volume.
All about light
Learn how light travels and how we see different colours.
What is light?
Light comes from different sources, like lamps, bulbs and the sun. Find out more about how light travels.
What is reflection?
When light hits an object it is reflected (bounces back) and enters our eyes. Find out about different reflective surfaces and how we see things.
How does the eye detect light?
Light bounces off some surfaces. But light travels right into your eye. Explore how your eye detects light.
Video playlist
Sounds made from different types of musical instruments. Video
The three families of musical instruments that can produce sounds through vibration.
Weapons of Sound - instruments made of rubbish. Video
The band Weapons of Sound use instruments which are homemade from rubbish.
Making sounds with different pitches. Video
Using pieces of string to produce sounds with different pitches.
Seeing in the dark - reflective materials (signed) Video
Wee Willie Winkie investigates light and reflective materials.
Sound. Video
An animation that shows us the faster something vibrates, the higher the sound it makes.
A torch as a light source. Video
A demonstration of how a source of light is required to see objects in the dark.
Light sources in your bedroom at night. Video
A boy explores the lights sources in his bedroom at night.
Light. Video
An animation that explores light sources, reflections, shadows and darkness.
Sun, shadows and time of day. Video
How you can tell the time of day from shadows cast by the sun.
