HS-PS4-1 | Wave Properties

Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the period, frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling and transferring energy (amplitude, frequency) in various media.

Clarification statement: Examples of data could include descriptions of waves classified as transverse, longitudinal, mechanical, or standing, electromagnetic radiation traveling in a vacuum and glass, sound waves traveling through air and water, seismic waves traveling through Earth, and direction of waves due to reflection and refraction.

Assessment boundary: Assessment is limited to algebraic relationships and describing those relationships qualitatively.

Assessment

What assessment of HS-PS4-1 might look like on a NY state exam.

Exam	Cluster	Question
June 2026	Kidney Stone Detection and Removal	Question 7
	Kidney Stone Detection and Removal	Question 8
	Kidney Stone Detection and Removal	Question 10
	Emission Spectra and Nuclear Fusion	Question 22
	The Cell Phone	Question 26
	Flashlight Physics	Question 31
	Voice Recognition Software	Question 43
	Voice Recognition Software	Question 44

Performance Level Descriptions

PLDs communicate the knowledge and skills expected of students to demonstrate proficiency in each Learning Standard. NYS assessments classify student performance into one of five levels.

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Level 1: Draw a model of a wave with given characteristics or identify the characteristics of a given wave traveling and transferring energy in a medium (period, frequency, wavelength, amplitude, speed, and/or type), or identify the change in characteristics of a wave as the wave hits a boundary.

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Level 2: Use words, diagrams, and/or graphs to represent the mathematical relationships among the period, frequency, wavelength, and/or speed of waves in a medium, or use mathematical relationships to determine the direction of a wave as the wave hits a boundary (reflection and/or refraction), or given data, model(s), and/or a mathematical representation, compare the phase of points at positions on the wave or the relative amount of energy transferred due to amplitude or frequency, or determine the amount of energy transferred due to the frequency of electromagnetic radiation (photon).

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Level 3: Given data, model(s), and/or a mathematical representation, determine the period, frequency, wavelength, or speed of a wave or electromagnetic radiation (photon) traveling and transferring energy in a medium, or use mathematical relationships and a ruler and protractor to construct the reflected and/or refracted ray(s) to show the direction of a wave as it hits a boundary, or determine the index of refraction.

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Level 4: Use mathematical representations to support a claim regarding relationships among the period, frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling and transferring energy (amplitude, frequency) in various media.

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Level 5: Plan and conduct an investigation and use mathematical representations to evaluate claims regarding the relationships among the period, frequency, wavelength, and speed of waves traveling and transferring energy in various media.

Vocabulary

Terms from the Physics Glossary that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it.

From this standard

air
algebraic relationships
amplitude
boundary
cause and correlation
cause and effect
claim
design solution
direction
electromagnetic radiation
empirical evidence
energy
energy transferred
frequency
glass
index of refraction
investigation
longitudinal wave
mathematical representation
mechanical wave
medium
period
phase
photon
reflected ray
reflection
refracted ray
refraction
ruler and protractor
seismic wave
sound wave
speed
speed of waves
standing wave
support (a claim)
transverse wave
type of wave
vacuum
water
wave
wavelength

From released exam questions

absorb energy – June 2026
baseline – June 2026
edge artifact – June 2026
filament – June 2026
hydrogen – June 2026
image – June 2026
inversely proportional – June 2026
justification – June 2026
laser – June 2026
lens – June 2026
light – June 2026
optically denser – June 2026
photon energy – June 2026
refute – June 2026
relative sound pressure – June 2026
sampling time – June 2026
sound – June 2026
speed of light – June 2026
speed of sound – June 2026
visible light – June 2026
wave motion – June 2026

Implied by this standard

law of reflection (angle of incidence equals angle of reflection) – implied by "construct the reflected and/or refracted ray(s)"
Planck's constant – the June 2026 Kidney Stone Detection and Removal rubric uses E_photon = hf with h = 6.63 × 10⁻³⁴ without naming the constant.
Snell's law – implied by "determine the index of refraction"

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-PS4-1.

This section could be expanded upon. You can help out by adding to this section.

NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation HS-PS4-1 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
- Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

PS4.A: Wave Properties
- The wavelength and frequency of a wave are related to one another by the speed of travel of the wave, which depends on the type of wave and the medium through which it is passing.

Crosscutting Concepts

Cause and Effect
- Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

Page contributors: Caroline Leonard, Conrad Richman

Physics | HS. Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation