Light: Refraction

What happens to beams of LIGHT when they pass from one kind of material to another?
 

Materials 

• tall clear glass or plastic container
• water
• straw or pencil

Directions

• Fill 1/2 to 3/4 of the container with water.
• Place a pencil or straw in the water.
• Have the children OBSERVE the container.
• Ask them to DESCRIBE what they see.
• Ask the kids if they think the straw/pencil is bent.
• Have them take the straw/pencil out of the water to examine it.
• Then return the straw/pencil to the container.
• Can the children EXPLAIN what is happening?

Explanation: Light travels through materials. When light goes from one material (AIR) into a different material (WATER), its beams BEND.This bending of light beams is what causes the straw/pencil to look broken! This bending is called REFRACTION.

vegetable oil and water