What is Light? History of the Study of Light How is Light Created and Destroyed? Emission  and Absorption of Light Light: Wave or Particle? Light and Shadow Light and Color How Does Light Travel? Speed of Light Light Travels in Straight Lines How Does Light Interact with Objects? Reflection of Light       A Collection of Exploratorium's Light Reflection Activities  Refraction of Light Light Interference

 

Do a Light Walk!!- a wonderful set of beginning activities about light from the Exploratorium

 

 

What is Light?

 

History of the Study of Light

 

• A history of light and lighting
• Light through the ages: Ancient Greece to Maxwell
• Light through the ages: Relativity and quantum era
• A Brief History of Optics
• History of Physics - Wikipedia entry
• What is Light?
• History of the study of light   - A nice walk through of the history of the study of light

 

 

 

How is Light Created and Destroyed?

 

 

Emission  and Absorption of Light

 

• Light is emitted by accelerating charged particles - Vibrating Charges  

• Light emission as waves

• Quantum atom and Spectroscopy 

 

Light: Wave or Particle?

 

• Wave-Particle Duality
• Wave Particle duality Wikipedia entry

 

 

Light and Shadow

 

• Were the moon landings faked? A short investigation in "The shadow problem"

 

Light and Color

 

• Color Addition - Exploratorium Applet 
• Class activity on color addition - Colored Shadows Snack
• Color and Color TV applet from Physics 2000 website
• Red, Green, Blue color addition on TV from Physics 2000 website
• Principles of Television Color  page by Cybercollege Internet campus
• Color Subtraction page at Glenbrook Highschool
• Color Subtraction page at Eastern Illinois University
•  

 

How Does Light Travel?

 

Speed of Light

 

• History of measuring the speed of light 
• Speed of Light through History 
• Flying past saturn at the 99% the speed of light.  

 

Light Travels in Straight Lines

 

 

How Does Light Interact with Objects?

 

Reflection of Light

 

• The Physics Classroom on Reflection of Light

 

      A Collection of Exploratorium's Light Reflection Activities 

Anti-Gravity Mirror	Fun activity to do with a large mirror
Corner Reflector	How do others see you?
Cylindrical Mirror	Playing with bendable mirrors
Mirrorly a Window	Another fun illusion with mirrors
Parabolas	Images done with Parabolic mirrors
Spherical Reflections	Art and science in spherical mirrors
Touch the Spring	Try to touch a real image!
Hot Spot	Focus invisible light  from a heater
Look Into Infinity	What happens when a mirror reflects its own image?
Duck Into Kaleidoscope	Create a large Kaliedoscope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refraction of Light

 

• The Physics Classroom on Refraction of Light

 

              A Collection of Exploratorium Light Refraction Activities 

Convection Currents	Create your own visible heat waves
Disappearing Glass Rods	What does it take to become invisible?
Giant Lens	Make a real image hang in the air
Laser Jello	A wonderful activity for inquiry in refraction.  A MUST DO & SEE!
Water Sphere Lens	Create your own lens out of water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light Interference