Optics Disk
[M | t | ★★★]
Angles of incidence, reflection, and refraction clearly demonstrated.
[In-Depth Description]
Blackboard Optics
[L | t | ★★★]
Mobile ray-tracing kit to demonstrate basic geometrical optics.
[In-Depth Description]
Microscope and Telescope Optics
[M | t++ | —]
Long and short focal length lenses are arranged on an optics rail to model these two optical instruments.
[In-Depth Description]
Relative Indices of Refraction
[M | t+ | ★★★]
A lens immersed in a fish tank of water seems to lose its refractive powers to focus light.
Disappearing Prism
[S | t | ★★★]
Immersion of quartz prism in water/glycerine solution of equal refractive index.
[In-Depth Description]
Paraxial Ray Optics Cloaking
[L | t++ | ★★★]
A combination of four lenses make a 3-D cloak with visible light
Wheel & Axle Wavefront
[L | t+ | ★]
Mechanical analog/simulation of wavefront at boundary between two mediums.
[In-Depth Description]
Florence's Rainbow
[L | t+ | ★★]
A rainbow is produced with a water-filled Florence flask; with monochromatic illumination, this becomes Descartes' rainbow.
[In-Depth Description]
Giant Raindrop
[M | t+ | —]
Large water-filled plastic raindrop shows, by laser ray tracing, the opticsof rainbow making.
Dispersion
[M | t+ | —]
Prism and white light; second prism shows no further dispersion.
Achromatic Prism
[M | t+ | —]
Refraction without dispersion!
Hotplate Mirage
[M/L | t+ | ★★]
Laser beam is refracted up when a hotplate is positioned below it.
[In-Depth Description]
Hot Road Mirage
[M/L | t+ | ★★★]
Viewing down a heated model roadway produces a mirage.
[In-Depth Description]
Schlieren Optics
[L | t+++ | ★★★★]
Optical technique that allows us to see refraction caused by gases.
[In-Depth Description]
Bouncing Light Beam
[M | t++ | ★★★]
Long tank with sugar solution forming refractive index gradient; laser beam bounces down the tank by total internal reflection/refraction.
[In-Depth Description]
Real and Virtual Images
[M | t+ | —]
Formation of images using lenses.
Refraction of Microwaves
[L | t++ | —]
10 cm microwaves refracted through wax prism.
Critical Angle
[L | t | —]
Optics disk ensemble using plastic semi circle.
[In-Depth Description]
Fishtank TIR
[M | t+ | ★]
Laser beam reflected off underside surface of water in tank.
[In-Depth Description]
Fiber Optics
[M | t | ★★]
Fiber optic strands and clear plastic rods transmit laser light.
[In-Depth Description]
Bucket of Light
[M | t+ | ★★★★]
Stream of water transmits laser light as it arcs into a bucket.
[In-Depth Description]
Frustrated Total Internal Reflection
[M | t+ | ★★]
To reflect or not to reflect at the interface of two prisms in intimate contact? That is the question.
[In-Depth Description]
Contact Us
Mailing Address: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Campus Location: Science Center B-08A | Tel: (617) 495-5824 | Email: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu