A simple activity to demonstrate how light separates into colors when it passes through water acting as a prism.

An experiment with a coffee filter and a marker to see what happens when water touches a black dot, or any other color. With links to several scientific, academic articles that explain what is happening.

An investigation into the total internal reflection of light, using a laser pointer. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening, a discussion of Snell's Law, and links to additional information.

An experiment using Jell-O to create lenses, to see how light behaves with flat, concave, and convex lens surfaces. 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 invert a television image using a magnifying lens. Accompanied by an explanation of what's happening.

This ScienceWorld site provides a short biographical sketch of Christiaan Huygens and describes his most notable scientific discoveries and contributions. Links are provided throughout for additional information as well.

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

This biographical note on Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen describes his boyhood, upbringing, education, scientific work and accomplishments. Focuses on his studies of Xrays.

From the MacTutor History of Mathematics website, this page allows students to see the Edinburgh home of the 19th century Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

Events of Rene Descartes' life are presented in a timeline form. The biographical information is taken from "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908).

Different step by step experiments in Optics, Light and Color. These experiments will help the students to investigate the world of light, color and optics.

An optical illusion that demonstrates the effect of eye movement on perception.

Four postcard-sized optical illusions that can be used to demonstrate how patterns and color influence perception.

An optical illusion that demonstrates the effect of eye movement on perception.

The following picture is an example of an afterimage, a type of optical illusion that continues to appear in one's vision even after you finish looking at the original image.

The Bezold effect is named after Wilhelm von Bezold, a German professor of meteorology. It is an optical illusion that makes colors look different depending on their relation to adjacent colors. It works with small sections of color...

This face and vase picture is a very common optical illusion. Do you a white vase or two identical black faces looking at each other?

This optical illusion image is known as a Fraser spiral illusion, or false spiral. The black arcs appear to form a spiral when in fact they are a series of concentric circles.

This black and white image is a very famous example of an optical illusion. Designed and drawn by C. Allan Gilbert, the name of the image is 'All is Vanity'. It represents both life and death where the meaning of existence is intertwined.