It's been awhile since we talked about rainbows, but this
simple little activity was a great refresher. Using simple household items, my
sons and I split white light into a truly impressive spectrum of colors.
What You Need
1 used music or computer CD
Aluminum foil
Working flashlight
Rubber band
Pushpin
Dark room
Prep
Tear a small piece of foil and cover the flashlight with
it. Secure it in place with the rubberband. Using the pushpin, puncture the
center of the foil so it has a tiny hole.
Split the Light
Now turn the flashlight on, grab the CD and head into a
dark room (we were in the laundry room). Shine the flashlight at the back of the CD, adjusting the angle
until you see a straight column of rainbow light.
This stripe of vivid color is the flashlight's spectrum.
How it Works
The tiny groves in the CD when it's laser recorded act as
a diffraction grating that split the light.
My boys were so impressed to see their own tiny rainbow! This
great activity came from the book Beyond
the Solar System.
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