RAINBOW ON THE WALL

PROBLEM: How can I make a spectrum (rainbow)?

RESEARCH: Look up visible light, spectrum, or rainbows in a science textbook or encyclopedia. Write two or three paragraphs on what you learned.

HYPOTHESIS: What do you think you need to do to make a rainbow?

MATERIALS:

Flashlight

shallow bowl of water

pocket mirror

protractor

PROCEDURE:

1. Use the protractor to set the mirror in the bowl at 30 degrees from the bottom of the bowl. Use clay or wax to hold the mirror in place.

2. Darken the room (or do the project at night).

3. Shine the flashlight toward the mirror.

4. Describe what you see.

5. Enrichment: On a very sunny day, spray the hose in an arc. Move around the spray until you see a rainbow in the spray. Based on what you have learned, explain why a rainbow forms in the spray.

DATA: Make a data table to record your observations.

CONCLUSION: This is not optional. You must explain what you learned by doing this activity.

Remember that you must answer the question you asked in your original problem statement.

NOTE: BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNS YOUR WORK. PARENTS: YOUR SIGNATURE SHOWS YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE THE WORK.

TEACHER SECTION:

POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: A rainbow will form on the wall when the light is shined into the water.

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: The water acts like a prism and separates the white light from the flashlight into the colors of the spectrum.

E-Mail

Judy Schneider

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