Other
Lighthouses: Lighting the Lights
A description of the early lights used in lighthouses and how these lights evolved into what they are today. Explains the contributions of Fresnel to the development of these lights; discusses the Fresnel orders.
Other
Architectural Acoustics and Lighting: Room Acoustics
This site from Architectural Acoustics and Lighting provides a discussion of various factors affecting the acoustics of a given room. Room dimensions, the wavelength of the sound wave, the physical characteristics of the walls, the...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Polarization
"How Do We Know Light Behaves as a Wave?" An answer is provided in this discussion of the polarization of light and the use of Polaroid filters in sunglasses. The four methods discussed on this page are: polarization by transmission,...
University of New South Wales (Australia)
University of New South Wales: School of Physics: Physclips: Geometrical Optics
Physiclips thoroughly presents geometrical optics concepts like rays, refraction, Snell's law, total internal reflection, dispersion, mirrors, and lenses with animations and film clips.
University of Maryland
Optics Highlights: The Telescope
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
Open Curriculum
Open Curriculum: Bounded Waves
To understand how bounded waves behave and how reflection of waves affects the wave components.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Mira Mira the Amazing Mira
Using a mira, 4th graders draw symmetrical pictures and then explain how the mira works using what they know about reflection and the eye.
My Science Site
Optics: Energy and Control [Pdf]
A very comprehensive unit including topics such as light and its source, visible sources of light, transparency of objects and much more. Also offers a resource list, blackline masters, and expectation list, expectation summary and a...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Mirrors: Who Can See Who?
Through investigation, discover the fundamental principle used to explain who can see who in a plane mirror, and why this happens.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Disappearing Glass Rods
In this activity, you will make a glass object disappear by eliminating the reflection from and the refraction by the glass object.
Center of Science and Industry
Cosi Columbus: Two Lenses in One
Investigate the behavior of a water filled vial, and discover why it acts like a magnifier. Includes full list of materials, procedures, and scientific explanation of what causes light rays to change direction.
University of Maryland
Optics Highlights: Optics, Electromagnetic Waves, Quanta
Part of an anecdotal history on optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the scientific evidence which led scientists to believe in the particle nature of light. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Mirrors: Optics Bench Interactive
Find out about the physics behind those fun-house mirrors. Students manipulate a virtual optics bench to explore the images formed by mirrors and lenses.
Educaplus (Jesús Peñas Cano)
Educaplus: La Luz
What do you know about light? Learn about it through this interactive site. At the end you can take a test to test your knowledge. A scientific calculator is also provided.
Other
The Disgustoscope
This is a resource to teach optics, while building a modified kaleidoscope that will provide 3-dimensional images.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Bubbularium
What colors do you see in a bubble? Why do you see colors in a bubble? Use this site to find out the answer to these questions with this easy experiment.
Other
Guidance/the Alphabet of Art/value
An informative site that explains Value as an element of art using examples of Rembrandt's work. This is a good juxtaposition between the works "Night Watch," and "The Anatomy Lesson," by Rembrandt.
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Albright Knox Art Gallery: Having Fun With Landscape Photography
Young scholars will learn about horizon lines in traditional landscapes and portraits, shadows and reflected light, and John Pfahl's Altered Landscapes. They will also create their own altered landscape photographs and portraits and...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Bill Nye: Baseball Moon
Bill Nye explains the phases of the moon with an experiment using a baseball, a lamp on a table, a dark room, and a stool or chair that swivels. As the person moves around, the changes in reflected light show the phases of the moon. The...
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and the Ray Model of Light: Ray Diagrams
This illustrated physics tutorial serves as a step-by-step guide to drawing ray diagrams. It includes an opportunity for students to practice and check their answers.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Ray Model of Light: Why an Image Is Formed
This illustrated physics tutorial uses animations to attempt to explain to students why images appear.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Ray Model of Light: Image Characteristics
Through illustrated examples and interactive practice problems, students learn about real and virtual images.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection/ray Model of Light: Mirror Portion Required
A tutorial which demonstrates how ray diagrams can be used to determine what portion of a plane mirror must be used in order to view an image.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Reflection and Ray Model of Light: Ray Diagrams Concave
In this physics tutorial, students investigate the method for drawing ray diagrams for objects placed at various locations in front of a concave mirror.