All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is the meaning of vibration when building a communication device that carries sound?
Answer: A back-and-forth movement. Sound waves cause this repeating motion.
Flashcard 2: Which observation shows the cup-and-string telephone is working: string is slack or the listener hears the words?
Answer: The listener hears the words. Slack string can't carry vibrations; success means hearing clearly.
Flashcard 3: Which rule helps make a fair test when comparing two communication device designs?
Answer: Change only one thing at a time. Testing one variable at a time shows what actually helps.
Flashcard 4: What should you do if the string keeps slipping through the cup hole during use?
Answer: Tie a bigger knot or add tape inside the cup. Both methods prevent the string from pulling through.
Flashcard 5: Identify the main goal when building a simple communication device with provided materials.
Answer: To send a message clearly to someone far away. Communication devices help people share information.
Flashcard 6: Which material is a better cup choice for a cup-and-string telephone: sturdy paper cup or soft cloth bag?
Answer: Sturdy paper cup. Soft materials absorb vibrations instead of transmitting them.
Flashcard 7: Which step comes after testing a device if the message is unclear: ignore it or change one thing and test again?
Answer: Change one thing and test again. Engineers test, improve, and test again.
Flashcard 8: What is the meaning of improve in an engineering design task for communication devices?
Answer: Make it work better. Engineers improve by making things work better than before.
Flashcard 9: Which tool is safest for a first grader to use to make a hole in a paper cup: sharp knife or teacher-approved hole punch?
Answer: Teacher-approved hole punch. Sharp tools are dangerous for young students.
Flashcard 10: Identify the best way to test your communication device after building it.
Answer: Send a message and check if it is heard correctly. Testing shows if your device actually works.
Flashcard 11: What causes the string to vibrate in a cup-and-string telephone?
Answer: The speaker’s voice making the cup bottom vibrate. Sound waves from voice shake the cup, then travel down string.
Flashcard 12: What is the meaning of communicate over a distance in science class?
Answer: Sending a message to someone far away. Distance means not close by or in the same room.
Flashcard 13: What is a simple device for communication over a distance that uses cups and string?
Answer: A cup-and-string telephone. Sound travels through the tight string connecting two cups.
Flashcard 14: Which property of the string is most important for a cup-and-string telephone to work well?
Answer: The string must be tight. Vibrations travel better through tight materials than loose ones.
Flashcard 15: Which material choice best carries sound in a cup-and-string telephone: tight string or loose string?
Answer: Tight string. Loose string can't carry vibrations well.
Flashcard 16: What should you do first to build a cup-and-string telephone with two cups and a string?
Answer: Make a small hole in the bottom of each cup. Holes let you thread the string through each cup.
Flashcard 17: What is the purpose of tying a knot in the string inside each cup?
Answer: To keep the string from slipping out. The knot acts as a stopper inside the cup.
Flashcard 18: Which action is correct for using a cup-and-string telephone: speak into the cup or speak at the string?
Answer: Speak into the cup. Your voice vibrates the cup bottom, not the string directly.
Flashcard 19: What should the listener do with the cup in a cup-and-string telephone to hear the message clearly?
Answer: Hold the cup to the ear. The cup collects and amplifies the vibrations for your ear.
Flashcard 20: Which change will most likely make a cup-and-string telephone work worse: tighten string or let it touch the ground?
Answer: Letting the string touch the ground. Ground contact stops vibrations from traveling through string.
Flashcard 21: What must be true about the string for a cup-and-string telephone to work well?
Answer: The string must be pulled tight. Tight string vibrates better to carry sound waves.
Flashcard 22: What should you do to the string if the sound is hard to hear in the cup phone?
Answer: Tighten the string and remove slack. Slack prevents vibrations from traveling through the string.
Flashcard 23: Which action should you avoid because it makes the cup phone work poorly: tight string or loose string?
Answer: Loose string. Slack string can't transmit vibrations effectively.
Flashcard 24: What part of the cup phone vibrates to help carry the sound?
Answer: The bottom of the cup. Sound waves make the cup bottom vibrate, sending vibrations through the string.
Flashcard 25: What is the correct meaning of “materials” when building a device?
Answer: The items used to build, such as cups, string, and tape. Materials are the supplies that become part of your device.
Flashcard 26: What is the correct job of the receiver when using a cup-and-string telephone?
Answer: Hold the cup to the ear and listen. The ear cup receives vibrations and turns them back into sound.
Flashcard 27: What is the correct job of the sender when using a cup-and-string telephone?
Answer: Speak into the cup while the string is tight. Speaking creates vibrations that travel through the tight string.
Flashcard 28: What is the safest rule to follow before using scissors or a hole punch to build a device?
Answer: Use tools only with adult approval and care. Adult supervision ensures proper and safe tool use.
Flashcard 29: Which step comes first when building from provided materials: plan or test?
Answer: Plan. Planning ensures you understand the task before building.
Flashcard 30: What should you do first if your device does not work: change one thing or change many things?
Answer: Change one thing at a time. Testing one variable helps identify what needs fixing.