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Radiofrequency

30-60 min

Ages 5+

What Will You Make?

We are going to experiment with electromagnetic radiation, using radio waves, to convert audio to electricity and finally light waves.

What Will You Learn?

Describes the generation, diversity and behavior of electromagnetic waves as a result of the interaction between electricity and magnetism

Grab your materials...let's start making!

radio materials

Step 1

Take two 10cm wires and cut them in half. Strip the ends of the wires.

Step 2

Create two ways or paths, one negative and one positive. Drive the screws into the component joints, start by placing the resistor on the positive side.

Step 3

Identify both sides of the LED, the longer leg will be the positive side and the other end will be the negative side, put each end on the corresponding screws.

radio step 3

Step 4

Take each end of the battery connector and put them on the corresponding screws, then connect the battery.

Step 5

Take one of the headphones and cut the bottom part you will see two cables, also cut the ends of the alligators connected to our circuit and connect them.

Step 6

Connect the connector we made to our music player or radio.

Step 7

Repeat step 5 with the other pair of alligators and headphones, take the connector and put it on the speaker or speaker, and the end of the alligators to the solar panel

Step 8

Insert the transmitter into the headphone jack of the music player or radio, and then turn it on, set the volume to just below the highest level. Wow, we watched the LED light up.

Step 9

Now hold the solar panel directly to the LED, turn on the speaker. Now you should be able to clearly hear the music from the player through the speaker, you can cover your solar panel, and you will see the music stop, also if there is a bit of aesthetics, turn off the light in the room.

Finished project

What Is Happening Here?

Radio waves, Electromagnetic waves, frequency

During our experiment we observe radio waves, these are a type of electromagnetic waves, which propagate in a very wide frequency range, carrying those waves full of information, we convert them into electricity, and then convert them into waves of electromagnetic radiation of the spectrum visible, turning on our LED, which is received by our solar panel, becoming electricity, and then we can hear our light beam.

The battery provides a current to light the LED, if we only had these two components the LED would light up at a fixed brightness. When the music player is turned on, it emits a changing electrical signal through the headphone port, these signals are what makes the headphone speaker vibrate, but here the signal makes the LED blink, the change in brightness happens more 18 times per second.

Most songs have frequencies between 40 Hz and 18,000 Hz, so the flicker will occur too quickly to notice. Then the solar cell receives these flashes, and generates an electrical signal that will vary with the flashing of the LED. This signal is amplified and sent to the speaker, recreating the original sound of the radio.

When you cover the solar panel, it can’t generate the current so there is no sound. Modern communication systems, such as long-distance telephone lines and high-bandwidth communication lines for computers, often use modular light signals. The relatively high frequencies of visual light can carry much more information than low-frequency radio waves. The light used is typically from a laser, not an LED, and the signals are transmitted over a clear fiber optic cable, rather than through the air, but the principle is the same.

What Is Next?

Keep experimenting with your creation, start jamming the signal in different ways, for example add more light in the room.

Don’t forget to show your parents and friends what you learned!  And try out one of these projects, next.

sound meter
LED Sound Meter by Sam Berg
arduino waveform
Arduino Sound Synthesis by Jon Thompson

About MoonMakers

MoonMakers — led by Camila and Diego Luna —  are a community of creators passionate about knowledge. A Makerspace, an open space with different digital manufacturing machines. And a YouTube channel where we promote science, technology and the maker movement.

MoonMakers have collaborated with companies such as: Sesame Street, Make Community and in Mexico with Educational Television and Fundación Televisa, creating educational content.

We have given workshops throughout the Mexican Republic with: Talent Land, Secretary of Education in Jalisco, Conacyt, Centro Cultural España.

MoonMakers

Materials:

  • 2 Alligator cables
  • 2 cables of 10 cm each.
  • Wire stripping pliers
  • 2 old 3.5mm headphones
  • Screwdriver.
  • Speaker or horn.
  • Solar panel
  • Wooden board for the base 20x10cm
  • 5 Screws
  • 1 LED
  • 1 470 ohm resistor
  • 1 9-volt battery connector
  • 1 9-volt battery
  • 1 Radio with headphone jack, you can also use a cell phone or music player

See More Projects in these topics:

Electronics Engineering Physics STEM or STEAM

See More Projects from these themes:

Construction Site The Depot (Airport/Space Station/ Racetrack) The Shop (Makerspace)
MoonMakers
Somos una comunidad de creadores apasionados por el conocimiento. Un Makerspace, un espacio abierto con diferentes máquinas de fabricación digital. Y un canal de YouTube donde promovemos la ciencia, la tecnología y el movimiento maker.
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Maker Camp Project Standards

Based on NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards. Learn more.

Forces and Motion

  • 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
  • HS-PS4-5. Communicate technical information about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

CCSS (Common Core State Standards)

The Common Core is a set of high-quality academic standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy (ELA).

Measurement & Data

  • Grades K-2
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.1 Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.MD.A.1 Order three objects by length; compare the lengths of two objects indirectly by using a third object.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.MD.A.2 Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying multiple copies of a shorter object (the length unit) end to end; understand that the length measurement of an object is the number of same-size length units that span it with no gaps or overlaps.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.1 Measure the length of an object by selecting and using appropriate tools such as rulers, yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.2 Measure the length of an object twice, using length units of different lengths for the two measurements; describe how the two measurements relate to the size of the unit chosen.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.3 Estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.MD.A.4 Measure to determine how much longer one object is than another, expressing the length difference in terms of a standard length unit.
  • Grades 3-5
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.3.MD.B.3 Draw a scaled picture graph and a scaled bar graph to represent a data set with several categories. Solve one- and two-step "how many more" and "how many less" problems using information presented in scaled bar graphs.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.A.1 Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.MD.C.5 Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint, and understand concepts of angle measurement.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system (e.g., convert 5 cm to 0.05 m), and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real world problems.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.MD.C.3 Recognize volume as an attribute of solid figures and understand concepts of volume measurement.

Ratios & Proportional Relationships

  • Middle School
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.1 Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.1 Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other quantities measured in like or different units.
    • CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.

NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.

Forces and Interactions

  • Grades K-2
    • K-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.
    • K-PS2-2.Analyze data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.
  • Grades 3-5
    • 3-PS2-1. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.
    • 3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.
    • 3-PS2-3. Ask questions to determine cause and effect relationships of electric or magnetic interactions between two objects not in contact with each other.
    • 3-PS2-4. Define a simple design problem that can be solved by applying scientific ideas about magnets.
  • Middle School
    • MS-PS2-1. Apply Newton’s Third Law to design a solution to a problem involving the motion of two colliding objects.
    • MS-PS2-2. Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.
    • MS-PS2-3. Ask questions about data to determine the factors that affect the strength of electric and magnetic forces.
    • MS-PS2-4. Construct and present arguments using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions are attractive and depend on the masses of interacting objects.
    • MS-PS2-5. Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
  • High School
    • HS-PS2-1. Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
    • HS-PS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
    • HS-PS2-3. Apply science and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.
    • HS-PS2-4. Use mathematical representations of Newton’s Law of Gravitation and Coulomb’s Law to describe and predict the gravitational and electrostatic forces between objects.
    • HS-PS2-5. Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence that an electric current can produce a magnetic field and that a changing magnetic field can produce an electric current.

ISTE Standards (International Society for Technology in Education)

The ISTE Standards provide the competencies for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age, providing a comprehensive roadmap for the effective use of technology in schools worldwide.

1.1 Empowered Learner

  • Summary: Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving, and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
  • 1.1.a Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.
  • 1.1.b Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.
  • 1.1.c Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
  • 1.1.d Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.

1.2 Digital Citizen

  • Summary: Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
  • 1.2.a Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.
  • 1.2.b Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology, including social interactions online or when using networked devices.
  • 1.2.c Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.
  • 1.2.d Students manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security and are aware of data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.

1.3 Knowledge Constructor

  • Summary: Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
  • 1.3.a Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
  • 1.3.b Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
  • 1.3.c Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
  • 1.3.d Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.

1.4 Innovative Designer

  • Summary: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
  • 1.4.a Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.
  • 1.4.b Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.
  • 1.4.c Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.
  • 1.4.d Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance and the capacity to work with open-ended problems.

1.5 Computational Thinker

  • Summary: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
  • 1.5.a Students formulate problem definitions suited for technology-assisted methods such as data analysis, abstract models and algorithmic thinking in exploring and finding solutions.
  • 1.5.b Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them, and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.
  • 1.5.c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
  • 1.5.d Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.

NGSS MS.Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
  • MS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • MS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.
  • MS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

NGSS HS.Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
  • HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
  • HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
  • HS-ETS1-4. Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

NGSS K-2 Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • K-2-ETS1-1. Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or tool.
  • K-2-ETS1-2. Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.
  • K-2-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of how each performs.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.

NGSS 3-5.Engineering Design

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K–12 science content standards.
  • 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
  • 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.
  • 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
For additional information on using content standards with our projects please visit the Maker Camp Playbook.
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