Science Waves, Light & Soundusually ages 12–13

Waves & Different Materials

Explain how waves can be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected by different materials, and apply these interactions to explain colour perception, sight, communication technologies, and the effects of different surfaces on wave behaviour

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Explains the difference between absorption, transmission, and reflection of waves
Uses the three interactions to explain how we see coloured objects
Explains how radio waves, visible light, and infrared are used in different communication technologies
Describes how the properties of a surface (colour, texture, material) determine how it interacts with radiation

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Try this together

If your child was wearing a black t-shirt on a sunny day and a friend was wearing white, could they explain using wave interactions why the black shirt gets hotter — and which properties of materials determine how they absorb or reflect radiation?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Wave Properties & Typesages 11–12Wave interactions with materials (absorption, transmission, reflection) require the wave properties framework

The Electromagnetic Spectrumages 12–13Analysing how different materials interact with different EM waves requires understanding the full EM spectrum

Waves & Different Materialsthis skill · ages 12–13

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

This skill sits beyond Year 6 in the Australian Curriculum, so no F–6 code is matched. It also sits beyond the NSW K–6 syllabuses. It also sits beyond Level 6 in the Victorian Curriculum.

Nearby on the map

Drawing Ray Diagramsages 12–13 Ray Diagrams & Imagesages 12–13 The Electromagnetic Spectrumages 12–13 How Sound Waves Travelages 11–12

All Waves, Light & Sound skills →