OPTICS - REFLECTION, REFRACTION AND DISPERSION
O.1(1) - RAY OPTICS LASER SYSTEM
This demonstration uses a Laser Ray Box (Wavelength - 635 nm) that project 5 parallel laser beams onto various flat surfaces. It contains a five 1 mW diode lasers. The optic set includes six magnetically-backed templates.
O.1(2) - OPTICAL DISK
It demonstrates fundamental properties of light, similar to 0.1 (1). The metal disk is about 30 cm in diameter, and a semi-circular acrylic plate of about 20 cm in diameter is attached to it, with coincident centers. Many demonstrations can be performed by rotating the metal hood to let the light ray strike the disk from any desired position. The ray projector is magnetically attached to a radial bar. An accessory set with glass plates of various shapes is also available (they are 8.5 cm in length).
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O.1(3) - REFRACTION TANK
It is designed to show refraction in water. The tank is placed in the center of a metal dish with a circular scale marked off in degrees on its edge. The tank itself is a semi-cylindrical acrylic strip, fitted on the front and back by semi-circular acrylic plates. The tank is filled with tinted water and a ray of light is incident from a light source set in a radial bar. Is shows total internal reflection very well.
O.1(4) - TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION
There are many demonstrations for this phenomenon. The three previously mentioned demonstrations can be used: the Geometrical Optics Blackboard, the Optical Disk, and the Refraction Tank, where a ray of light is reflected internally at the surface between colored water and air. Other demonstrations are
A clear plastic vase filled with water and with an opening from where water can flow. A laser beam is aligned exactly with this opening such that when the water is allowed to flow, it will show total internal reflection. The beam of light will be trapped on the water "tunnel" and it will be directed downwards with the stream of water.
An optical fiber or, Lucite spiral rod. A Lucite spiral rod has its straight side connected to a light source. Light is transmitted through the rod and can be seen on the other extremity.
The fiber optic set-up is lots of thin fiber optic cables attached to a light source and a rotator. As is rotates, the light transmitted through the optic fiber cables changes colors.
It allows one to observe the path of light through a typical optical fiber. Using a helium-neon laser as a light source, one will actually see how an optical fiber transmits light by total internal reflection. It consists on one straight and one curved bar made from transparent acrylic. Each bar has the dimensions 10 mm x 20 mm x 230 mm. They have frosted ends for interfacing with a light beam from a He-Ne laser. Place a clean white sheet on a flat surface in front of the laser to observe the light patterns easily.
O.1(5) - LENSES
Lenses of different sizes, focal lengths and types are available along with lens supports. optical benches and its accessories. These lenses can be arranged to show varied effects and phenomena. As an example, a convergent lens forms a real image of a candle's flame on a screen wall. The image in inverted.
O.1(6) - PRISM
A prism demonstrates the dispersion of white light into a spectrum. The demonstration is done on the optical board
O.1(7) - DISAPPEARING BEAKER
This beaker, with no markings, bends light the same as Wesson Vegetable Oil. the Glass and the oil have the same index of refraction. When the beaker is immersed into a container of this oil, the beaker becomes invisible.
Click here to download the video clip of this demo