PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Earth's Albedo and Global Warming
In this interactive activity adapted from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, learn about Earth's albedo (the ratio of reflected vs. incident solar radiation), how pollution alters albedo, and how ice-albedo feedback may accelerate...
Boston University
Bu: Optics: Geometric Optics
Several short descriptions of demonstrations which illustrate principles of geometric optics (many of which focus upon refraction).
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Polarization by Absorption
The operation of Polaroid filters on a pair of sunglasses is shown.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Optics
Students discover how mirrors affect optics in this module through reading informational text, watching animations, and answering self-checking practice questions.
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: 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.
Science is Fun
Science Is Fun: Floating Soap Bubbles
In this experiment you learn how to generate carbon dioxide inside a container, and float soap bubbles above the gas. Once the bubbles are suspended, it is possible to observe them closely, which is normally very difficult to do....
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Finding the Shortest Path
Students discover the shortest distance light travels from an object to the human eye, as the light from the object reflects off a single mirror. In the process they learn about reflection in a line, congruent angles, angle bisectors,...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Image Formation for Concave Mirrors Case A
This animation depicts the path of light to each person's eye. Different people are sighting in different directions; yet each person is sighting at the same image location. In this animation the image location is the intersection point...
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas Mc Donald Observatory: Mirror, Mirror
In this activity, students test the Law of Reflection based on experimental evidence. However, the back-silvered glass mirrors present a twist and offer them a challenge to work out what happened as the light traveled into and out of the...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Soap Film Interference Model
In this experiment, students construct models of larger red and smaller blue waves on index cards, and use them to investigate how light behaves when it is reflected off the front and the back of soap film.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Soap Film Painting
Investigate the constructive and destructive interference of waves as they reflect off the front and back surfaces of soap film. See what colorful effects can be created on a large, vertical soap film surface where gravity comes into play.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Greenhouse Effect and Surface Radiation
Students will design a controlled experiment to demonstrate the greenhouse effect and the effect of different surfaces on light reflection.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physical Science: Refraction
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Refraction of light in matter and how light changes its speed and angle of refraction according to the type of medium it is travelling through.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Make a Green Gumball Black
An experiment to investigate what colors are seen when light is absorbed or reflected by colored gumballs. With links to scientific, academic articles that explain what is happening.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Science of Everyday Life: Right Back at You! [Pdf]
What make a good reflective surface? In this lab, students will investigate different surfaces with a reflectivity tester. Lesson plan includes information for students and teachers.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Laser Jello
View a total internal reflection by using gelatin and a laser with this activity.
Cosmo Learning
Cosmo Learning: Applied Science and Technology 210: Electrical Engineering
A collection of video lectures from a course that explores the application of electrical engineering topics. Webpage includes twenty-eight lectures from a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Lectures vary in length and...
Pennsylvania State University
Penn State Graduate Program in Acoustics: Reflection From Mirrors
Included here are illustrations of reflections from a plane mirror, a concave mirror and a convex mirror.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Up Periscope!
Children can look around corners with this homemade periscope. Great instructions at this Exploratorium site on how to build a periscope.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: A Mirror in an Operating Room
This passage will test your knowledge on spherical mirrors.
Other
University of Cambridge: Alien Attack!
You are on a mission--find out which alien invader is trying to blow up Earth! Take part in wiping crime from the universe and feel good about yourself in the process.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: About Rainbows
This site from the University Corporation of Atmospheric Research provides an illustrated article about the phenomenon of rainbows.
PC Technology Guide
Pc Tech Guide: Scanners
Informative sight detailing the basics of what a scanner is and what it can do.