Mike Mckee College of Optics and Photonics University of Central Florida LIGHT: a Lab Manual for Teachers

Mike McKee College of Optics and Photonics University of Central Florida LIGHT: A Lab Manual For Teachers Mike McKee CREOL, The College of Optics and Photonics University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida 32816 © 2016 Teachers are permitted to use the lessons in their classrooms and make as many copies as they need for their students. Please do not remove the footnote that is located on the bottom of each page. CREOL, the College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida, is one of the world’s foremost institutions for research and education in optical and photonic science and engineering. CREOL started in 1987 as the Center for Research and Education in Optics and Lasers, and became a College in 2004, the first US graduate college in this area, offering interdisciplinary graduate programs leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Optics and Photonics. An undergraduate program offering a BS degree in Photonic Science and Engineering began in 2013 in partnership with the College of Engineering and Computer Science. Online sales of this book benefits the Society of Optics Students at the University of Central Florida. Thanks to the following for helping produce this book and write lessons: Aaron Coville Nikolay Makarov Jason Owens Anthony Riggins The OSA Foundation / The Optical Society Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 How Fast Do Waves Travel? .................................................................................................................................... 5 Does Light Travel In A Straight Line? .................................................................................................................... 11 What Energy Does A Light Bulb Emit? .................................................................................................................. 15 How Are Lenses Used to See Big and Small Things? ............................................................................................. 19 What Light Is In A Laser? ....................................................................................................................................... 24 What’s In A Color? ................................................................................................................................................ 29 How Do Colors Reflect? ........................................................................................................................................ 32 How Can Light Be a Fingerprint? ........................................................................................................................... 38 How Do You Make Colors? ................................................................................................................................... 41 How Does Gravity and Light Change Plants? ........................................................................................................ 50 How Can Chocolate Bars Be Used to Measure the Speed of Light? ..................................................................... 55 How is Light Absorbed and Transmitted? ............................................................................................................. 60 How do Polarizers Change the Light We See? ...................................................................................................... 66 What is the Wavelength of Light? ........................................................................................................................ 73 What Energy is Hiding? ......................................................................................................................................... 79 What is Good and Bad About the Sun? ................................................................................................................ 85 What are the Properties of Convex Lenses? ......................................................................................................... 89 How Do You Find the Focal Length of a Concave Lens? ....................................................................................... 94 How Does Light Travel from a Source? ................................................................................................................. 96 How Do We Know Photosynthesis is Occurring?................................................................................................ 102 What is the Electromagnetic Spectrum? ............................................................................................................ 106 How Does Light Reflect Off Mirrors? .................................................................................................................. 114 How Can We See More Stars in the Sky? ............................................................................................................ 118 What are the Properties of Concave Mirrors? ................................................................................................... 122 How Do You Measure the Index of Refraction in Water? .................................................................................. 128 How Do You Measure the Index of Refraction in Glass? .................................................................................... 129 What is the Diameter of the Sun? ...................................................................................................................... 135 How Do I Use Ray Diagrams to Predict How an Image Will Look? ..................................................................... 139 How Do Bubbles Show Colors? ........................................................................................................................... 145 Is Light a Wave Or a Particle? ............................................................................................................................. 149 Demo: Standing Waves ...................................................................................................................................... 153 Demo: Photoelectric Effect and Fluorescence ................................................................................................... 154 Demo: Water Fiber Optics ................................................................................................................................. 155 Demo: Laser Eye Checks .................................................................................................................................... 156 Demo: Polarization and Stresses ....................................................................................................................... 157 Demo: Plasma Ball Lighting ................................................................................................................................ 158 Demo: Ultraviolet Lighting ................................................................................................................................. 159 Demo: Compare the Beams ............................................................................................................................... 160 Demo: Colors in the Shadows ............................................................................................................................ 161 Demo: Pirate Eyepatches ................................................................................................................................... 162 Introduction This book was produced with the generous support of the Optics Society of America Foundation (OSAF) and the College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida in celebration of the International Year of Light. Light based technologies are found across many fields. From medicine to the military and from industry to entertainment, in virtually every area of life there are important applications of light. Even in items such as a garage door remote control, light plays a role. Every computer chip is produced using light. Light is an enabling technology; it is a critical part of the development, production, or function of a vast array of products. In the College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida, research is conducted in the area of photonics. Optics is generally thought of as the science of light and photonics is the technological application of light. Items such as your eyeglasses fall under the study of optics, while almost everything that is powered with an electrical source can be called a photonic device. There are many careers in photonics. With an associate’s degree, there is a high demand for individuals who can install and service photonic devices. A person with a Bachelor of Science in Photonic Science and Engineering is employed in a company or the government where he or she can design systems such as smartphones, displays, industrial manufacturing equipment, or even reconnaissance satellites. At universities, research scientists discover the scientific principles which lead to the development of new technologies. The lessons in this manual are designed to be used in several grade levels. The text size indicates the general age level intended, with larger text designating that the lessons should be used with younger students. For the most part, many supplies are easy to obtain for nominal costs online or as part of a normal high school

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