POSTLABORATORY REPORT ABOUT EM WAVES

Science 10 Quarter 2

Chapter 4: Waves of Change

PROJECT TITLE: PERFORMING EXPERIMENT No.1

BACKGROUND

Let us further explore some amazing facts about electromagnetic waves.

Electromagnetic energy travels in waves and spans a broad spectrum from very long radio waves
to very short gamma rays. The human eye can only detect only a small portion of this spectrum called
visible light. A radio detects a different portion of the spectrum, and an x-ray machine uses yet another
portion. NASA's scientific instruments use the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum to study the
Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond.

When you tune your radio, watch TV, send a text message, or pop popcorn in a microwave oven,
you are using electromagnetic energy. You depend on this energy every hour of every day. Without it, the
world you know could not exist.

Let’s try to perform experiment No. 1 to learn more about electromagnetic waves.

OBJECTIVES

1. Explain how an electromagnetic wave is produced.

2. Compare the relative wavelength of different types of electromagnetic waves.
3. Cite the use of electromagnetic waves.

PROCEDURE

As a Science student, you have the opportunity to show your laboratory skills by performing this
Experiment No. 1 following the scientific methods when experimenting.

Follow the steps below to perform the given experiment:

A. Review your previous lesson on the concept of mechanical waves and their characteristics.
B. Start doing the following to complete your experiment:

1. ANSWERING PRELABORATORY QUESTIONS

a. Use the laboratory activity sheet below as a guide in doing the experiment. Read first
thoroughly the background. objectives, and procedure indicated before answering the
prelab questions.
b. The deadline for submission of the output will just be posted by your teacher in the
Google Classroom.

2. PERFORMING YOUR EXPERIMENT

a. After you have answered the prelab questions, prepare the materials needed, and perform
your experiment. Ask somebody in your household to take a picture as you do the
 experiment. Then, attach the photos in this template with corresponding captions. Answer
the Results and Conclusion parts of the experiment.

3. PREPARING A POSTLAB REPORT

a. Use the laboratory activity sheet below as a guide to answer the postlab questions.
b. The deadline for submission of the output will just be posted by your teacher in the
Google Classroom.

PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF TEACHER EDUCATION
Laboratory Junior High School

Experiment No. 1
Working with Remote Control

I. INTRODUCTION

Waves are disturbances that are used to transfer energy from one place to another without
transferring matter. Mechanical waves, such as water waves and sound waves, transfer energy through a
medium. But electromagnetic waves do not require a medium to propagate. Thus, electromagnetic (EM)
waves can travel in an empty space or through matter and are produced by charged particles that are in
motion just like the sun’s energy is transferred to Earth through space.

There are many ways to send signals remotely- that is, to send a signal without wires. Cell
phones, radio, and TV remotes, along with dozens of other everyday technologies, all transmit
information without a physical connection. How do they do this? With electromagnetic waves.
Electromagnetic waves are basically radiated energy. Visible light is a type of electromagnetic wave,
that’s why we talk about light having specific wavelengths, usually from about 700 nanometers to about
350 nanometers. But electromagnetic radiation isn’t limited to those wavelengths-visible light only makes
up a very small portion of what is called the electromagnetic spectrum, the range of all electromagnetic
radiation.

II. OBJECTIVES
1. Examine how the TV remote control works.
2. Identify what types of electromagnetic radiation work in the TV remote control.
3. Investigate the infrared beam that comes from your television remote control.

III. PRELABORATORY QUESTIONS (3 pts each)

1. What are electromagnetic waves?
Electromagnetic waves are waves consist of oscillating electric and magnetic fields that mutually
induce each other.

2. What are the major types of electromagnetic waves?

The different types of EM waves are radio waves, microwaves, infrared waves, visible light,
ultraviolet rays, x-rays, and gamma rays.

3. How are electromagnetic waves produced and propagated?

They are produced by accelerating charges. The oscillating current creates oscillating electric (E)
and magnetic (H) fields which in turn generate more electric and magnetic fields. Thus, an
outward propagating electromagnetic wave is created.
.

III. MATERIALS

Television set
TV remote control
Glass
Book
Hand
Paper
Metal pan

IV. PROCEDURE

1. Point your TV remote control in different directions and observe whether it will still control
the television.
2. Place various materials in front of the infrared receiver on the television. Some materials you
might use are glass, a book, your hand, paper, and a metal pan.
3. Observe whether the remote control will operate the television. Complete the table below.
 Table 1: Working with TV Remote Control
Materials placed in front of the Observation
infrared receiver
1. glass The remote functioned
2. book The remote didn’t function
3. hand The remote didn’t function
4. paper The remote functioned
5. metal pan The remote didn’t functioned

V. PHOTOS WHILE PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT (Attach the photos taken while
performing the experiment and place a caption in each photo.)

Test using Book Test using Paper Test using hands

Test using Test using

VI. RESULTS (Describe the results
Steel of
Panyour experiment in two to three paragraphs.)Glass

VII. CONCLUSION

Due to the fact that infrared rays have wavelength longer than visible light, and because they have
long wavelength than visible light they also have lower frequency than visible light thus, lower
penetrating power, that is why it has difficulties passing through metallic, thick and compact
materials, depending on the materials used, if the materials is thick there is a certain length of
thickness it can penetrate but at a certain point if its still thick enough it will not be able to pass
through due to the energy being absorbed.

In my experiment there are 5 materials used, each of them has different thickness and properties. The
hand especially, the infrared rays can penetrate the skin only, but the thicker tissues and muscles
reflect it that is why it can’t penetrate thoroughly.
 VIII. POSTLABORAORY QUESTIONS (3 pts each)

1. Was it necessary for the remote control to be pointed exactly toward the direction of the TV? At
which point will the remote control stop operating the TV? Explain your answer.
Well, the infrared waves in the remote controller are low powered and the receiver of the TV is
very small that is why as much as possible it should be pointed to the direction of the TV.
2. Based on your answer in Table 1, which materials placed in front of the TV hindered the remote
control in operating the TV? Explain your answer?
There are three materials that hindered the remote from operating the TV, the steel pan, the
book, and the hand, it is because the thickness and the components of the materials affect on
how the infrared waves pass through.
3. Explain briefly how the TV remote control works using the infrared lights as part of the concept
in electromagnetic radiation.
The remote controller emits an electromagnetic wave called infrared waves which is then
received by the receiver on the TV that is responsible for making commands in it, there is also
the red led light which is an indication that lights up when the receiver received the infrared rays
coming from the remote controller.

Note: The experiment is adapted from Exploring the Realms of Science 10 pages 48-49.

Working with Remote Control Rubric

Category Excellent (12-15)
Presentation Each photo has a neat
of Photos and easy-to- read
caption that correctly
describes the step-by-
step performance of
the experiment.
Discussion of States based on what
the Results was observed, written
in an easy-to-
understand manner
that ties observations
to a conclusion.
Conclusion Detailed discussion of
all aspects of
experiment, results,
suggestions, flaws, and
links to other relevant
science.
Total (36 pts)
Remarks
Good (8-11) Needs Work (4-7) Unsatisfactory (1-3)
Each label has a Only some labels There are no captions
caption that correctly have a caption that for any of the
describes the step- correctly describes procedures.
by-step performance the step-by-step
of the experiment. performance of the
experiment.
States only some of States very little of States only a little of
what was observed in what was observed in what was observed but
a manner that ties a manner that ties not in a manner that
observations to a observations to a ties observations to a
conclusion. conclusion. conclusion.
Discussion of most Discussion of most Discussion of some
aspects of aspects of aspects of experiment,
experiment, results, experiment, results, results, suggestions,
suggestions, flaws, suggestions, flaws, flaws, and but has
and links to other and but has lacking lacking links to other
relevant science. links to other relevant science.
relevant science.

Total Score
Prelab Questions 9 points
Postlab Questions 9 points
Rubric 36 points
Total Points 54