Question: What the difference between a CD player and an MP3 player?
End Product: Produce an "idiot's guide" booklet to explain.
Analogue and Digital Objectives - To understand the differences between analogue and digital signals
To understand how optic fibres work and their advantages over electrical cables
To understand how radio waves and Morse code can be used to communicate
To understand how a laser is different from "normal" light
Timing - Up to 8 lessons
Go to
and explain in your own words how sending a text message involves changing between analogue and digital. You will need to find out the difference between analogue and digital. Why are digital signals less prone to "noise" than analogue signals? (There is a "Noise and Interference" section under key words). The following site is also useful for this section: http://connected-earth.com/LearningCentre/Howitworks/Telegraph/Lossandnoise/index.htm.
Go to
and read about digital radio and how you listen to it. You can also check to see which digital radio stations are available in your area by visiting: http://www.digitalradionow.com/statfind/mxr/checker.php.
Your teacher may show you a device that detects microwave signals to and from your mobile phone. You will have to send a text to someone to get it to work.
You can also go to http://connected-earth.com/FunandGames/Games/Costofyourcall/index.htm to see how the cost of landline calls has changed over the past 100 years and to
http://connected-earth.com/FunandGames/Gadgets/index.htm to see how various communication devices work.
Try the following worksheet: