Principles of Reflection and Optical Illusions

By: The Flinn Staff


Create a classic stage illusion—similar to a haunted house at a theme park—in your classroom! Simply shine a light on a hidden object inside the darkened “object room” in the Optical Illusion Apparatus, and watch as a life-like, three-dimensional image appears on the stage located 90° from the object. The optical illusion demonstrates the principles of reflection and illustrates how transmitted and reflected light from a glass mirror merge to form an image. Let your students experiment with different objects, angles and settings to discover the ideal conditions for reflection. A fun way to animate your classroom discussion of optics and reflection! Requires flashlight or another light source.