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Light

Science activity that demonstrates the afterimage phenomenon
Afterimage
A flash of light prints a lingering image in your eye.
Anti-Gravity Mirror
Learn how to fly with this neat mirror trick.
Science activity demonstrating color afterimage phenomenon
Bird in a Cage
Stare at one color—but see another.
Science activity demonstrating the phenomenon of light scattering
Blue Sky
Discover why the sky is blue and the sunset is red.
Science activity demonstrating light polarization and stress patterns
Bone Stress
Polarized light reveals stress patterns in clear plastic.
Science activity that demonstrates how some light sources flash on and off many times a second
Bronx-Cheer Bulb
Give a light source the raspberry and watch it wiggle—but the only thing wiggling is you.
Science activity demonstrating the physics of bubbles
Bubble Tray
Create giant bubbles!
Science activity investigating spectroscopy
CD Spectroscope
Make a truth teller for light.
Science activity that demonstrates the dominant eye phenomena
Circles or Ovals?
Your brain combines information from your eyes in surprising ways.
Science activity that demonstrates effect of color filters on perception
Color Table
Color your perception.
Science activity that demonstrates perception of additive color mixtures
Colored Shadows
Not all shadows are black.
Science activity demonstrating paths of light reflection
Corner Reflector
See yourself as others see you.
Science activity that demonstrates the critical angle phenomenon
Critical Angle
Discover why your favorite cat videos don't leak out of optical fibers.
Cylindrical Mirror
See yourself as others see you in this cylindrical mirror.
Science activity to explore underwater color perception
Deep Blue
Underwater, what you see is not what you get.
Science activity that demonstrates diffraction using a candle or flashlight bulb and two pencils
Diffraction
Light can bend around edges.
Science activity that demonstrates the index of refraction
Disappearing Glass Rods
You can make glass objects disappear.
Science activity that demonstrates neuroplasticity
Distortion Goggles
Retrain your brain.
Science activity that demonstrates reflections in a kaleidoscope
Duck Into Kaleidoscope
Make multiple images of yourself.
Everyone Is You and Me
Science activity that demonstrates an image formed by a lens
Giant Lens
A lens creates an image that hangs in midair.
Science activity that explores heat absorption by different-colored materials
Give and Take
Dark-colored materials both absorb and emit energy more readily than light-colored materials.
Science activity that demonstrates luminescence and flourescence
Glow Up
You light up my life.
Science activity that demonstrates light scattering in the atmosphere
Glue-Stick Sunset
Why is the sky blue? That's a sticky question.
Science activity that demonstrates lateral inhibition in perception of boundaries
Gray Step
Without a boundary, it’s hard to distinguish different shades of gray.
Science activity that demonstrates an optical illusion
Hole in Your Hand
What happened to your whole hand?
Science activity that explores infrared radiation through a parabolic mirror
Hot Spot
Focus the invisible light from an electric heater.
Science activity to investigate infrared electromagnetic radiation
Infrared Remote
Science activity that explores the relationship between light, area, and distance
Inverse-Square Law
Why the world gets dark so fast outside the circle of the campfire.
Science activity that uses gelatin to demonstrate behavior of filters and lenses
Laser Jello
Gelatin can do much more than just wiggle and jiggle.
Science activity that demonstrates lateral inhibition in visual perception
Lateral Inhibition
Which is in control, your eye or your brain?
Science activity that uses a spectroscope to explore white light through leaf material
Leaf Filter
Even plants have their favorite colors.
Science activity that explores the behavior of common night-lights controlled by photocell sensors
Light Conversation
The talk is simple, but illuminating.
Science activity that demonstrates a simple wind generator
Light Wind
Build a simple wind generator.
Science activity that investigates reflections
Look into Infinity
Images of images of images can repeat forever.
Science activity that investigates the perception of projected moving images
Magic Wand
See pictures in thin air.
Science activity that demonstrates how mirrors work
Mirror Reversal
Reflect on the ins and outs of mirrors.
Science activity that investigates perception of reflections
Mirrorly a Window
What you see is often affected by what you expect to see.
Science activity that explores audio signal transmission
Modulated LED
Listen to a beam of light.
Science activity that demonstrates light wave interference
Moiré Patterns
Imperfect alignment can lead to interesting patterns.
Science activity that demonstrates the brightness of two light sources
Oil Spot Photometer
Compare the brightness of two light sources using an oil spot on a white card.
Science activity that demonstrates wave interference
On the Fringe (formerly Bridge Light)
Air trapped between two pieces of clear plastic produces rainbow-colored interference patterns.
Person with shadow.
Outdoor Shadows
Trace your shadow, then watch it change.
Science activity that demonstrates a solar cell transforming light into electricity
Output of a Solar Cell
Measure the efficiency of solar cells as they convert sunlight to power.
Science activity that demonstrates a visual illusion
Overlapping Spots
Make a bright spot brighter.
Science activity that demonstrates an image produced by a parabolic mirror
Parabolas
It’s all done with mirrors.
Science activity that demonstrates the chemistry of a battery
Penny Battery
Light an LED with five cents.
Science activity that demonstrates how a lenless camera works
Personal Pinhole Theater
A pinhole camera you can really get into.
Science activity that demonstrates Einstein's photoelectric effect
Photoelectricity
Get electricity from light.
Science activity that demonstrates photosynthesis
Photosynthetic Floatation
Light leaves leaves light.
Science activity that demonstrates magnification by a pinhole
Pinhole Magnifier
Who needs expensive optical equipment to see better?
Science activity that demonstrates human visual perception of images on a smartphone
Pixels, Pictures, and Phones
Take a (super) close look at your smartphone and you may be surprised by what you see.
Science activity using light projected through a drop of water to reveal an abundance of tiny organisms
Plankton Projector
Light projected through a drop of water reveals an abundance of life.
Science activity that demonstrates a creative exploration of light through a pinhole viewer
Poking Fun at Art
Explore light and color from a hole new angle.
Science activity that demonstrates light and color mixing through a pinhole viewer
Poking Fun at Color Mixing
Enlarge your perspective on color.
Science activity that demonstrates how light travels through a pinhole viewer
Poking Fun at Light Rays
Discover a straight path to enlightenment.
Science activity that demonstrates light and mathematical relationships through a pinhole viewer
Poking Fun at Math
Make pinhole predictions.
Science activity that demonstrates light polarization
Polarized Sunglasses
Polarizing sunglasses cut road glare better in some positions than in others.
Science activity that demonstrates colors of polarized light
Polarized-Light Mosaic
With polarized light, you can make a stained glass window without glass.
Science activity that investigates the pupil
Pupil
Your pupil changes size to control how much light enters your eye.
Real Image
Science activity that demonstrates light polarization
Rotating Light
Polarized light passing through sugar water reveals beautiful colors.
Science activity that investigates the structure of the retina
Seeing Your Retina
Keep an eye on your retinal blood supply network.
Science activity that explores the relationship between filament and flashlight bulb
Sensitive Filament
Use your breath to create a visible change in an electric circuit.
Science activity that uses color chromatography to discover the secret colors hidden in black ink
Separation Anxiety
Use water to learn about black magic…markers.
Science activity that models light wave interference
Soap Film Interference Model
Get on our wavelength!
Science activity that demonstrates light interference in soap
Soap Film on a Can
What light through yonder film can breaks?
Science activity that uses gravity to turn soap film into an ever-shifting array of colors
Soap Film Painting
A soap film becomes an ever-changing work of art.
Science activity investigating surface area and light
Soap-Bubble Shapes
Create geometric art with soap films.
Science activity to to explore how curved mirrors reflect images
Soda Can Mirror
See how images appear in a curved mirror.
Science activity that demonstrates properties of convex mirrors
Spherical Reflections
Discover art and science in a myriad of spherical reflections.
Science activity that demonstrates the primary and secondary colors of light
The Three Little Pigments
Know your C, M, Y, and K.
Science activity that explores images from a concave mirror.
Touch the Spring
You can see it, but you can’t touch it.
Science activity that demonstrates color mixing with printer ink
Truly Primary Pigments
Make your own mix-n-match markers to produce a rainbow of colors.
Science activity that demonstrates Thomas Young's two-slit experiment
Two-Slit Experiment
Light plus light equals dark.
A science activity that demonstrates the two-slit interference phenomenon
Two-Slit Wave Model
Use index cards to show how light plus light equals dark.
Science activity that demonstrates the behavior of a spherical lens
Water Sphere Lens
Make a lens and a magnifying glass by filling a bowl with water.
Science activity that demonstrates distances with a composite reflection
Your Father's Nose
Sometimes, you're your partner's splitting image.
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Attribution: Exploratorium Teacher Institute