Fun Kids’ Activity from the Experts in Education

This guest post is being brought to you by the amazing staff at Education.com.

Let me start by saying that I was beyond honored when Jessica reached out to me inquiring about posting guest content on the DisorientedMom site.  I researched the site and am very impressed by what I see.  They have a team of experts that work with teachers and curriculum developers to create educational activities and a vast number of resources for kids.

The particular project being shown here is a science experiment, which my daughter happens to love.  In school, science experiments are one of the few things she looks forward to, so her and I will be doing this one together as well.

The project is listed below, and can be found on the Education.com website directly at https://www.education.com/resources/angles/ .

 

Science Project: 

Can White Light Be Separated?

Objective:

Find out whether white light can be separated into different colors. This will also simulate how natural rainbows are made.

For more fun with science, go to Education.com!

Research Questions:

• Why does a prism create a rainbow from white light?
• What are the colors of the rainbow?
• How do you think a natural rainbow is created?

The visible spectrum is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that can be seen by the human eye. It consists of seven spectral colors: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan/indigo, blue, and violet. These colors are what you observe when you see a rainbow. These colors each have different frequencies and wavelengths; red having the longest wavelength and violet having the shortest.

Materials:

• Flashlight with white light bulb
• A piece of cardboard opaque enough to block light
• Hole punch
• A glass prism (can be obtained at a science store)
• Paper nd pencil

Experimental Procedure

1. Punch a hole in the cardboard.
2. Place the prism on a flat surface.
3. This experiment will look best when done in the dark or under dim lights. Turn on your flashlight and shine it on the cardboard through the hole and direct it at the prism. What do you see?
4. Now place a second prism in front, but at a slightly different angle than the first one. What happens?

Terms/Concepts: Visible spectrum; Electromagnetic spectrum; A few glass or plastic prisms; White light

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prism_%28optics%29

​http://ioannis.virtualcomposer2000.com/spectroscope/

http://www.phy.hk/wiki/englishhtm/RefractionByPrism.htm

Hecht, Eugene (2001). Optics (4th ed.). Pearson Education. ISBN 0-8053-8566-5

Author: Sofia PC

Disclaimer and Safety Precautions

Education.com provides the Science Fair Project Ideas for informational purposes only. Education.com does not make any guarantee or representation regarding the Science Fair Project Ideas and is not responsible or liable for any loss or damage, directly or indirectly, caused by your use of such information. By accessing the Science Fair Project Ideas, you waive and renounce any claims against Education.com that arise thereof. In addition, your access to Education.com’s website and Science Fair Project Ideas is covered by Education.com’s Privacy Policy and site Terms of Use, which include limitations on Education.com’s liability.

Warning is hereby given that not all Project Ideas are appropriate for all individuals or in all circumstances. Implementation of any Science Project Idea should be undertaken only in appropriate settings and with appropriate parental or other supervision. Reading and following the safety precautions of all materials used in a project is the sole responsibility of each individual. For further information, consult your state’s handbook of Science Safety.