Hobbies And Interests
Rainbow Experiment One
A simple experiment can be done with a bowl of water, a mirror, cardboard from a box, and an index card. Place the mirror inside of the bowl. It must be at an angle, and must be only partially covered by the water. Cut a tiny slit inside of the cardboard, and place it in front of a window where the sun is shining through. Cover the rest of the window so that the sunlight can only travel through the slit. The window can be covered with cardboard or dark paper, for example. Place the bowl in front of the cardboard, at an angle where the light from the slit hits the mirror through the water. Hold the white index card near the window, but in front of the bowl. It has to be high enough so that it captures the reflected sunlight. A rainbow will appear on the card, because the white light will be split into different colors as it is reflected from the mirror.
Rainbow Experiment Two
A second version of the light splitting experiment can be done with a glass, a flashlight, and a mirror. Place the mirror at an angle inside of the glass. Add enough water so that the mirror is partially submerged. Move the apparatus to a dark room, and shine the flashlight at the mirror. A rainbow will appear. Experiment by adjusting the mirror̵7;s angle, or the angle of the flashlight. Alter the experiment by substituting colored plastic cups or glasses. The colors that appear will depend on the container. For example, when the flashlight is held at an angle inside of a blue cup, violet and light green will appear on the cup̵7;s side.
Color Blending Experiment
Create a spinner to demonstrate how colors will appear to blend when they move rapidly. Obtain a paper cup, an index card, a pencil, scissors, and a black marker. Trace the top of the paper cup on the white side of the index card. Color half of the circle black, and then remove it with the scissors. Poke the pencil through the circle until the circle rests an inch or more from the top. Place the cup on a flat surface, and turn it upside down. Turn the pencil so that its point faces down, and push it through the bottom of the cup. The point must touch the flat surface. Adjust the pencil so that it moves freely, and then spin it in one direction. The black and white will appear to blend and form a color. Spin the pencil the other way, and the color will appear to change. Experiment by creating circles with different proportions of black and white, or by using other colors. For example, color only one third of a circle black, or create six sections and color them alternately red or green.
Heat and Color Experiment
Color affects how quickly water may become heated on a sunny day. Gather three plastic cups or bowls. They should be of equal size and composition. Fill all of them with the same amount of water. Cover one with something black, such as a black plastic bag or construction paper. Cover another one with a white plastic bag or white construction paper. Cover the third with red or green paper or plastic. Place all of the containers in a sunny place near the window, or place them outside. Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the water within each container. Do this every three to five minutes. The black covered object will heat more quickly than the rest.