In these resources, inspired by the QCUMbER project led by the University of Oxford, students explore how spectra are formed, and how spectroscopy can be used by researchers (KS3 and 5), how 'colour' can be used to encode more information than binary codes (KS4), and how analogue signals like sound can be converted into digital codes (KS4).
Students make their own spectroscope to explore spectra from different light sources, and learn about the ways that researchers use spectroscopy in a range of scientific applications.
In this resource, students learn how information can be converted into code, such as binary (using 1s and 0s), or how using colours instead of just 'on' and 'off' can allow you to encode more information with fewer 'bits'.
Student Worksheet
In this activity, students learn about how sound, analogue data, can be converted in to a digital code, and look at amplitude, frequency, etc.
In this activity, students explore emission spectra, calculate wavelength and energy, and learn about the different ways that spectroscopy can be used by researchers to do a range of things, from looking at the composition of distant starts, to developing more powerful ways to transmit data.
Student Worksheet
