Purdue University
Field Trip Snack Holder
Is light related to insulation? An informative hands-on STEM activity demonstrates how light affects temperature. First, the class investigates how light passes through different mediums and how that relates to temperature. Then,...
American Institute of Physics
Optics and Anthony Johnson
Message sending has come a long way since the days of Morse code's dots and dashes. Young scientists study the research of optical physicist Anthony Johnson and his work in fiber optics, lasers, and the principle of total internal...
American Museum of Natural History
See the Light
It's time to see the light! Scholars perform three different experiments with light to reveal properties using a great remote learning resource. The pupils see how light reflects from a surface and refracts through different materials....
Colorado State University
Why Is the Sky Purple?
The color of the sky depends on the time of day. Young scholars experiment with scattering different wavelengths of light to recreate the color of the sky. They observe both the longer blue wavelengths and the shorter red and orange...
CK-12 Foundation
Diamond Cut
How do jewelers tell the difference between diamonds, glass, and cubic zirconia? A sparkling simulation demonstrates how to use a ray of light to determine the substance and ideal shape for a diamond. Scholars control the material,...
CK-12 Foundation
Least Time
What is the fastest way to get from point A to point B if you are going through two different mediums, such as air then water? Scholars explore the way light travels through air, water, acrylic, glass, and diamond as they answer this...
Teach Engineering
When Silicon Talks
Explore Snell's Law using thin films. In the fifth installment of a seven-part series, pupils solve a set of problems relating to Snell's Law and use this skill during an experiment requiring the collection of reflective measurements...
Teach Engineering
Bubbles and Biosensors
Bubbles aren't just for children. In the third installment of a seven-part series, teenagers use bubble solution to create bubbles and observe patterns of refraction on the bubble surfaces. Application of this concept to thin films in...
Curated OER
Reflection and Refraction
Life is only a reflection of what we allow ourselves to see. The lesson includes three experiments on light reflection, light refraction, projection, lenses, and optical systems. Each experiment builds off the ones before and encourages...
It's About Time
Refraction of Light
Don't shine like a diamond, refract light like a diamond. Young scientists use an acrylic block and a laser light to observe refraction. Advanced scholars figure the sine of the angles of reflection and incidence as well as mastering...
Teach Engineering
Quantifying Refraction
Class members discover how mathematics can quantify the behavior of light waves with the fourth installment of a seven-part series that teaches future engineers about equations related to refraction, including the equation to calculate...
Curated OER
Hot Air
Students conduct an experiment to determine how hot air affect the path of laser. In this physics lesson, students explain why stars appear to twinkle at night. They discuss how light travels from space to Earth.
Curated OER
Experiment: Fountain of Light
In this science experiment worksheet, students gather the materials they will need from the list provided. Following the 5 step directions, students perform the experiment. Students answer 3 questions.
Curated OER
Water Works Wonders
Students examine where water is found in the world, how we use it, and the various forms it takes. They observe the refraction of light through a prism, record the day and night sky over a week's time, and create a topographic model of...
Curated OER
Light and Laser
Twelfth graders investigate the refractive index of water. In this physics lesson, 12th graders explain the operation of laser. They write a lab report about the activity.
Curated OER
Light & Crystals
Students observe a demonstration of light refraction. They experiment with disappearing crystals to further study light refraction.
Curated OER
Lemon Light
Learners engage in a lesson which model different types of light refraction. They perform an experiment which uses lasers, jello and wax paper to illustrate how light refracts.
Florida State University
Florida State University: Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer: Light and Color Refraction of Light
Comprehensive and sophisticated overview of light refraction includes an historical overview of the subject and explanations of the mathematics that underpin refractive indexes, the relative index of refraction, Snell's law, and light...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Diamonds: The Science Behind the Sparkle
This illustrated essay from the NOVA Web site explains why the atomic structure of a diamond slows down light and produces a sparkle more brilliant than from any other colorless substance.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Measuring Sugar Content of a Liquid With a Laser Pointer
Here's a project that shows you how to use a laser pointer and some knowledge of physics to figure out the concentration of sugar dissolved in a liquid.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Telescopes From the Ground Up
Students can investigate the historical development of six different telescopes. The technical aspects of different telescopes are also presented.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Bubbles and Biosensors
Students learn that color swirls on the bubble surfaces are caused by refraction. Then they apply this theory to thin films in general, including porous films used in biosensors, listing factors that could change the color that become...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: When Silicon Talks
In this activity, students tackle this aspect of engineering as they solve problems for precise angles and speeds, and predict data output when samples are altered.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Does Light See?
Students are introduced to the concept of refraction. After making sure they understand the concepts of diffraction and interference, students work collaboratively to explain optical phenomena that cannot be accounted for via these two...