Library › Study AI › High school students
Get P and S waves explained with the slinky demo
Practice: Saying who it's for. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
In Earth Science you mix up P waves and S waves. Get exactly 3 numbered sentences using only the slinky demo from class (how P waves move, how S waves move, and which can travel through liquid), then one line starting 'Check:' with a question to test yourself, under 85 words, plain text. Use the corrected fact from Mr. Bauer, and no terms like 'longitudinal' or 'transverse'.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking the general question. The AI explains with textbook terms and diagrams, not the demo you saw. Try: Say: "Use only the slinky demo from class."
- Not saying how many sentences. The AI picks its own number, and it usually picks more sentences than you need. Try: Be exact: "Exactly 3 numbered sentences."
- Missing the correction. Your notes have the liquid fact backwards, and the AI may copy it. Try: Add: "P waves go through liquid, S waves don't, per Mr. Bauer."
- No way to test yourself. The AI explains and stops, so you never check whether it stuck. Try: Add: "End with one line starting 'Check:' with a question, no answer."
- Trusting the AI to count words. AI is bad at counting. Ask for a total and it often lands 20% over. Try: Cap each sentence: "each under 18 words."
- Forgetting where it will be read. AI formats for a screen, with bold and headings that show up as stray symbols in your notes. Try: Say: "Plain text, no bold, no headings."
What a strong prompt includes
- Names the demo
- Says how many sentences
- Uses the correction
- Asks for a check question
- Bans textbook terms
Related exercises
- Answer a patient's billing question in plain words (Writing AI · Nurses and healthcare workers)
- Answer your CMO's campaign question in one Slack message (Marketing AI · Marketing and content)
- Apply three sociological perspectives to one campus example (Study AI · College students)
- Boil a Macbeth scene down to four plot lines (Study AI · High school students)
- Boil a textbook section down to 5 steps (Study AI · High school students)