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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Single Slit Interference

For Students 10th - 12th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Explains what causes single slit interference of light and how to find the wavelength of a single slit interference pattern using a formula.
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Handout
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Light, Matter, Energy: Light the Way

For Students 3rd - 8th
What is electromagnetic radiation and how does it work? Review a captioned graphic that explains electromagnetic radiation and the visible and invisible types of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.
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Website
Fundación Cientec

Cientec: Instrumentos Para Investigar La Luz

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site shows how to build different instruments to experiment with light. Step by step instructions with pictures are provided.
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Handout
Physics Classroom

The Physics Classroom: Polarization

For Students 9th - 10th
"How Do We Know Light Behaves as a Wave?" An answer is provided in this discussion of the polarization of light and the use of Polaroid filters in sunglasses. The four methods discussed on this page are: polarization by transmission,...
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Unit Plan
University of New South Wales (Australia)

University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips: Interference

For Students 9th - 10th
Physiclips thoroughly presents interference of waves with animations and film clips.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Students learn what an electromagnetic wave is, gain a feel for the main parts of the spectrum, and work on problems involving basic properties of electromagnetic...
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Surf's Up!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This instructional activity introduces the concepts of longitudinal and transverse waves. Students see several demonstrations of waves and characterize them by transverse and longitudinal behavior. This instructional activity also...
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Handout
Oklahoma Mesonet

Oklahoma Climatological Survey: Overview of Radiation

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details what radiation is, the physics of radiation, and radiative transfer as it occurs in nature. Content explores the electromagnetic spectrum, electromagnetic waves, properties of radiation, and solar radiation.
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Color

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Georgia State University discusses the location of visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum. Includes the wavelength values for various colors of light within the visible light spectrum.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: The Visual Spectrum

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students make simple spectroscopes (prisms) to look at different light sources. The spectroscopes allow students to see differing spectral distributions of different light sources.
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Interactive
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physics Simulation: Least Time

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Explore how Snell's Law arises out of the principle of least time; understand how light rays change direction at interfaces between materials using this interactive simulation. A PDF worksheet and a...
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Unit Plan
California Institute of Technology

Cool Cosmos: The Herschel Experiment

For Students 9th - 10th
This website provides a background on the discoverer of infared light--Sir Frederick William Herschel. A version of the experiment Herschel conducted in the 1800s is provided as well.
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Interactive
Space Telescope Science Institute

Amazing Space: Star Light Star Bright

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn all about stars and the electromagnetic spectrum in this series of activities.
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Interactive
Physics Aviary

Physics Aviary: Radiant Emissions Lab

For Students 9th - 10th
This lab is designed to allow students to look at the relative proportions of different wavelengths of light that are emitted by stars at different temperatures.
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Website
York University

York University: Color and Color Vision

For Students 9th - 10th
York University provides an index page to several other pages on the topic of color and color vision. The pages are part of an online "book." Many graphics and explanations.
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Handout
Synopsys

Synopsys: A Gentle Intro to Optical Design: Why Is the Sky Blue?

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses Rayleigh scattering in plain language and attributes the blueness of the skies to this phenomenon. Discussion of scattering is just one topic of many on this lengthy page of optical topics.
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Interactive
NASA

Nasa: Match Light Faces With Heat Faces

For Students 3rd - 8th
Can you picture someone in infrared? In this game, you try to match pictures taken of faces with a regular camera with those taken with an infrared camera. After the game, there is background information on infrared waves.
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Handout
National High Magnetic Field Laboratory

Magnet Academy: Zeeman Effect 1896

For Students 9th - 10th
Most of us have seen the rainbow-hued breakdown of the composition of light. Light is of course a form of energy. A magnetic field changes the behavior of light- a phenomenon known as the Zeeman effect.
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Handout
Wolfram Research

Wolfram Science World: Maxwell, James

For Students 9th - 10th
This ScienceWorld site describes the Scottish mathematician and physicist James Maxwell (1831-1879) who published physical and mathematical theories of the electromagnetic field.
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Handout
Nobel Media AB

The Nobel Prize: Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen Biographical

For Students 9th - 10th
This biographical note on Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen describes his boyhood, upbringing, education, scientific work and accomplishments. Focuses on his studies of Xrays.
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Unit Plan
E-learning for Kids

E Learning for Kids: Science: Winery: Why Can We See Through Some Objects but Not Others?

For Students 4th - 6th
Learn about the properties of materials in their interactions with light, including whether they are opaque, transparent, or translucent, and which of these produce shadows.
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Website
Other

Atmospheric Optics

For Students 9th - 10th
Instead of just ooohing and aaahing over that beautiful sunset, impress your loved ones with an insightful and informed explanation of just what makes sunsets so interesting, and they will oooh and aaah at you too! At this site, you'll...
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Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Energy

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Through nine lessons, students are introduced to a range of energy types--electrical, light, sound and thermal-as well as the renewable energy sources of wind, hydro (water) and solar power. Subjects range from understanding that the...
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Activity
NASA

Nasa: Probing Earth Through the Clouds

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from the National Aeornautics and Space Administration provides a fun activity for the subject. "Clouds often hide large areas of the Earth's surface. We can use radar to make detailed maps of Earth right through clouds or...

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