Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Refraction and the Ray Model of Light: Rainbow Formation
Understand the physics behind Roy G. Biv, and how rainbows are formed by drawing upon our understanding of refraction, internal reflection, and dispersion.
Wikimedia
Wikipedia: Refracting Telescope
Wikipedia provides detailed information on refracting telescopes, including an image, technical difficulties, and a hyperlinked list to info on notable refracting telescopes.
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Geometric Optics
This interactive unit will help students to understand the basics of geometric optics. Learn what happens when light strikes the boundary between two media as well as the difference between a real and virtual image? Also explore the law...
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: Reflection and Refraction of Light
What happens when a ball is thrown against a wall? This narrative illustrates how light is reflected or refracted in different circumstances.
My Science Site
B J Mst: Behaviour of Light
This resource explores light reflection and refraction by providing colorful illustrations and examples.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Refraction and Ray Model of Light: The Critical Angle
Illustrated examples and interactive practice problems that introduce students to the concept of the critical angle, the angle of incidence that provides an angle of refraction of 90-degrees.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Total Internal Reflection
This physics department site provides a definition and explanation of the phenomenon of total internal reflection. Includes a diagram and an equation for calculating the critical angle for light approaching a surface.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Energy of Light
In this introduction to light energy, students learn about reflection and refraction as they learn that light travels in wave form. Through hands-on activities, they see how prisms, magnifying glasses and polarized lenses work. They also...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Light Scavengers
In this activity, students examine various materials and investigate how they interact with light. Students use five new vocabulary words (translucent, transparent, opaque, reflection and refraction) to describe how light interacts with...
BBC
Bbc: Gcse Bitesize: Why Do Scientists Think That Light and Sound Are Waves?
Light travels as transverse waves and can travel through a vacuum. Sound travels as longitudinal waves and needs to travel through a solid, liquid or gas. Read about the properties of light and of sound, and learn the differences between...
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Exploring the Science of Light: Classroom Activities
Experiments and activities for investigating the science of light, as well as in-depth explanations of some of the light principles.
Other
Open School Bc: Sound and Light
The Sound and Light interactive investigates these two forms of energy. Students will enjoy exploring how sound and light are created, travel, and can be controlled.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Behavior of Light as a Wave
Kids learn about the behavior of light as a wave in the science of physics including reflection, refraction, and diffraction.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Reflection and Refraction
Reflection and refraction are explained with an experiment that uses a sheet of paper, cardboard, and other common materials.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: An Experiment With Light Rays and a Prism
This passage will test your knowledge on reflection and Refraction - Passage 2.
University of New South Wales (Australia)
University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips: Geometrical Optics
Physiclips thoroughly presents geometrical optics concepts like rays, refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, dispersion, mirrors, and lenses with animations and film clips.
University of Maryland
Optics Highlights: The Telescope
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Disappearing Glass Rods
In this activity, you will make a glass object disappear by eliminating the reflection from and the refraction by the glass object.
Center of Science and Industry
Cosi Columbus: Two Lenses in One
Investigate the behavior of a water filled vial, and discover why it acts like a magnifier. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes light rays to change direction.
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: What Is Scattering of Light?
Do you know why the sky is blue? Article defines scattering and how it works. Explains the difference between the scattering of light and reflection or refraction.
Kidport
Kidport: Light
Did you know that light is a form of energy and always travels in a straight line? Discover some more interesting facts about light.
Synopsys
Synopsys: Optics for Kids: What Is Light?
An explanation of what light is and some of its properties.
Optical Society
Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Guiding Light Optical Fiber
This experiment demonstrates the concept of total internal reflection, using basic materials. Accompanied by a detailed explanation of what's happening, and links to articles on reflection and refraction.