Science Common Sense
1345 - How do light reflect and refract through experiments?
Let's explore some cool experiments to learn about light reflection and refraction.
Experiment 1: Reflection
Materials: - A mirror - A flashlight or sunlight - A pencil or stick
Instructions: 1. Shine a light through the flashlight or sunlight onto the mirror. 2. Hold the pencil or stick in front of the mirror at an angle. 3. Move the pencil around and observe how the light from the mirror bounces off onto a wall or surface.
What's happening: The light from the flashlight or sun hits the mirror and bounces back to your eyes. This is called 'reflection'.
Experiment 2: Refraction
Materials: - A glass of water - A pencil or stick - A flashlight or sunlight
Instructions: 1. Fill the glass with water. 2. Place the pencil or stick in the glass at an angle. 3. Shine the light onto the pencil from the side of the glass.
What's happening: The light passes from air into the water and changes direction. This is called 'refraction'.
Experiment 3: Refraction with Glass Prisms
Materials: - A glass prism (you can purchase or make your own) - A flashlight or sunlight
Instructions: 1. Shine the light onto the glass prism at an angle. 2. Move the prism and observe how the light passes through it and bends.
What's happening: The light enters the glass at one angle and comes out at a different angle, splitting into different colors (white light turning into a rainbow).
Experiment 4: Refraction through a Straw (total internal reflection)
Materials: - A plastic straw - A glass of water - A flashlight or sunlight
Instructions: 1. Place the straw in the glass of water, but with a portion of it above the water surface. 2. Shine the light through the straw, slightly above the water level.
What's happening: When the light moves from water to air, it's totally reflected back into the water instead of passing through air (it changes direction).
These experiments will help you visualize how light reflects and refracts through different objects and materials.