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Soap Bubble Shapes
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Learners explore three-dimensional geometric frames including cubes and tetrahedrons, as they create bubble wands with pipe cleaners and drinking straws.
Reflecting Rainbows: Decorate Your White Walls With Rainbow Colors!
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Like water drops in falling rain, a CD separates white light into all the colors that make it up.
Bubble Tray
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In this activity, learners use simple materials to create giant bubbles.
Morphing Butterfly
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In this activity, learners explore how nanosized structures can create brilliant color.
What is Nanotechnology?
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In this activity related to nanotechnology, learners observe some of the effects that result from creating a thin layer of material several nanometers thick.
Iridescent Art
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This is a quick activity (on page 2 of the PDF under Butterfly Wings Activity) that illustrates how nanoscale structures, so small they're practically invisible, can produce visible/colorful effects.
Wave Machine
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This is a great activity about wave interference. Learners will create their own wave machine and discover wave properties through hands-on investigation.
Exploring Materials: Thin Films
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In this activity, learners create a colorful bookmark using a super thin layer of nail polish on water. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.
Soap-Film Painting
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Make a big canvas of iridescent color with pvc pipe! In this Exploratorium Science Snack, you'll need to cut and assemble some PVC pipe, but the pay-off, the soap-bubble canvas, is big.
The Ripple Tank
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In this optics activity, learners create a ripple tank from household materials to study waves. Learners build the tank and then explore by making various types of waves.
Soap Film on a Can
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The beautiful iridescent colors of a bubble in a can! With this Exploratorium Science Snack, create beautiful soap films on the open end of a can to see beautiful rainbows of color.
Colors, Colors?
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In this activity related to the famous "Stroop Effect," learners explore how words influence what we see and how the brain handles "mixed messages." Learners read colored words and are asked to say th
Soap-Film Interference Model: Get on our wavelength!
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By making models of light waves with paper, learners can understand why different colors appear in bubbles.
Colored Shadows Investigation
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This activity (located on page 3 of the PDF under GPS: Light and Color Activity) is a full inquiry investigation into mixing colors with light.
Anti-Sound Spring
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What happens when two wave pulses meet in the middle? Send waves down a spring to watch them travel and interact.
Splitting White Light
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In this optics activity, learners split white light into all its component colors using three household items: a compact disc, dishwashing liquid, and a hose (outside).
Spots, Lines and Lasers
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Learners shine the light of a laser pointer through sheets of fabric that all have a different number of threads per inch.
How Thick is Your Hair?
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In this activity on page 13 of the PDF, learners use a laser pointer (with known wavelength of light) to measure the thickness of a human hair.
Interference in a Ripple Tank
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In this optics activity, learners explore interference by adding wax blocks to a ripple tank.
Rainbow Film
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In this activity, learners use clear nail polish to create a beautiful iridescent pattern on black paper. Learners discover that a thin film creates iridescent, rainbow colors.