Orlando Family Magazine

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contributing WRITERS
(407) 648-7002
evaKELSO
Publisher
nancyDeVAULT
Editor
publicationDESIGN
Atomic Beehive
contributingPHOTOGRAPHER
Erika Hopkins Photography
website DESIGN
Energy Graphics
salesEXECUTIVES
Catherine Randell
Donna Colona
Lisa Harley
Glenda Morgan
Jane Boursaw
Justin Braun
Chip Crawford
Steve Davala
Heidi Hayes
Karla Jo Helms
Christa Melnyk Hines
Carolyn Jabs
mariaFOSTER
Associate Editor
thomasSESSIONS
Creative Director
What is your New Year’s resolution?
More quality time
with family & friends.
To help infant son
learn & play.
No resolutions
To perfect my
chaturangas!
Take off a few
pounds.
To be more
organized.
No
resolutions.
Lose weight.
Simple Science
Experiments
Refraction of Light
By Steve Davala
Ever see a rainbow and wonder where
the colors are coming from? Or
wonder why a person’s legs appear
bigger or just off while standing in a
swimming pool? With this two-part “Simple
Science Experiment,” you’ll learn about how
light can refract or “bend” through different
materials.
Materials
• Tall cup (non-see-through)
• Penny • Tape • Water
• Wax paper • Fine print article
• Magnifying glass or a pair of prescription
glasses (with parents’ permission)
Experiment #1: Reappearing Penny
Procedure
1. Using a small piece of tape, adhere a
penny to the bottom (center) of a non-
see-through cup.
2. Stand in a place where you can see inside
the cup but can’t quite see the penny at
the bottom because the top of the cup
blocks the coin from view.
3. While standing in
this position, have
someone start to
fill the cup up
slowly with water.
Observe when
you can spot the
penny just with
the addition of
water.
Explanation
Did you know you
see things because
light is bouncing off them?
Refraction is the bending of something
as it travels through a different material.
This particular experiment addresses light
bending but, other things, like sound waves
and seismic waves (earthquakes), also refract.
Light changes the angle at which it bends as
it goes through air into water or vice versa.
So as water fills the cup with the penny, the
light ray from the coin is bent until it can
then reach your eye.
Experiment #2: Wax Paper Lens
Procedure
1. Cut a piece of wax paper out; place it
over some fine print.
2. Put a single drop of water on top of the
wax paper.
3. Watch how the letters change as you
move the water drop over them.
Explanation
As in the first experiment, water refracts
the light going through it. It is acting as a
magnifying lens and causing the light to
bend out from the letters, making them
appear bigger. Experiment with different
sized drops of water. Does this change the
size of the
letters? Did
you know
this is how
eye glasses
work? The
lens will bend
the light and
make images
get bigger
or smaller, depending on the prescription.
If you have a magnifying glass or pair of
glasses, hold them over a piece of paper with
words on it to see how you can change the
size of the letters. The curve of the glass will
cause the light to bend or refract!
Want to experiment further? Ponder this…
will using sugar water or salt water change
how big letters get in comparison to what
you observed with plain water? Good luck
and keep experimenting!
Steve Davala is a middle school science teacher who likes
to write and work with Photoshop. He has two kids and
subjects them to these science activities as guinea pigs!
Follow Steve on Twitter (@sdavala) or email him at
Family
FUN
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