Instructions on how to make a lens using ice. With an explanation of what is observed, and a link to an informative article on lenses.

An experiment to investigate how many images appear as the angle between two hinged mirrors is increased. Accompanied by an explanation of what is happening, questions for students to consider, and a link to an article about reflection.

This is an activity that should only be done outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, with adult supervision, as it involves paint thinner. It demonstrates the concept of the index of refraction for different materials, in this case that...

An experiment using a water lens that demonstrates how the eye sees an image. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening, and a link to an article on refraction.

An experiment to create colors using bubbles and then with glass slides. With links to scientific, academic articles that explain what causes the colors to appear.

An experiment to invert a television image using a magnifying lens. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening.

An experiment where light is shone through a bottle of water, and then milk added, to see how this affects the path the light takes (with links to articles on reflection and refraction that explain what is happening).

A planetary nebula forms when a star can no longer support itself by fusion reactions in its center. This NOAO site is also illustrated.

Strips of gelatin dessert and a laser pointer demonstrate total internal reflection.

Biography of Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543), the scientist who first put forward the theory that the Sun was the center of the universe.

Biography of Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), a scientist whose impact is felt in many disciplines today. His laws of motion are integral to basic physics, and he co-invented calculus.

Biography of Albert Einstein (1879-1955), one of the most famous physicists of the last century, best known for his theory of relativity.

An activity with an optical illusion that will have your eyes seeing it and then not seeing it! Learn the science behind what makes the dot on the page "disappear".

An activity with an optical illusion that will have your eyes seeing a cluster of boxes but is it really boxes? In this activity, explore this illusion and what happens to trick your brain to seeing what it sees.

Create an optical illusion with this activity. Understand what your brain interprets if it receives conflicting information from your eyes.

An interesting look at a type of optical illusion art that has been around for ages. You can find a full length description, examples, and downloadable software that will allow you to create your own digital version of this kind of art.

This site, in German, offers numerous apps that illustrate common physics principles. Apps are organized into categories: mechanics, oscillations and waves, electrodynamics, optics, thermodynamics, the theory of relativity, physics of...

What is fiber optics and how does it work? Sajan Saini explores the vital technology.

The home page of the The James Clerk Maxwell Foundation, a charitable foundation to commemorate the life and work of James Clerk Maxwell. View Maxwell's house and read about the personal life of this notable scientist.

Research resources for James Maxwell (1831-1879), who did revolutionary work on electricity and magnetism and on the kinetic theory of gases.

This site from Georgia State University is an indexing page for several other pages on the topic of reflection. Topics are treated in an understandable manner and utilize meaningful graphics.

This physics department site provides a definition and explanation of the phenomenon of total internal reflection. Includes a diagram and an equation for calculating the critical angle for light approaching a surface.

Describes the importance of laser technology to modern life, how the laser was invented, how lasers work, and what we can expect in the future from laser technology. [Date of Article: October 27, 2010]

This article discusses the historical figures who contributed to our understanding of the nature of light, x-rays, Quantum ElectroDynamic (QED) theory, and so on.