Refraction and Total Internal Reflection—Individual Kit

Product Details

Watch as a laser beam is trapped due to total internal reflection as it attempts to escape from red gelatin into air! Clearly observe how light is refracted when it travels from one medium into another! In this activity, students track the path of a laser beam as its speed changes while traveling from air into red gelatin and vice versa. The laser beam is clearly visible within the gelatin, making it very easy for students to draw accurate refraction diagrams. As the light slows down, the laser beam will move closer to the normal line on the refraction diagram. As the light speeds up, the laser beam will swing away from the normal line until it undergoes total internal reflection. By measuring the angle of incidence and angle of refraction, the speed of light in gelatin can be calculated using Snell’s Law. Kit comes complete with student worksheets, detailed Teacher Notes, and sample data. The individual kit contains gelatin, red food coloring, one refraction dish, and one laser pointer. The classroom set contains gelatin, red food coloring, eight refraction dishes, and one laser pointer. Additional laser pointers are sold separately.