Investigates the relationship between knowledge of geometrical optics and the understanding of the phenomenon of colored shadows through adult interviews. Reports that the knowledge of geometrical optics facilitates the pinpointing of the color problem while experience with the mixing of paints may act as a barrier. (Author/YP)

Provides an inservice workshop experience for underprepared physics or physical science teachers. Describes a demonstration showing conservation of momentum using an air track, gliders, and a model railway train. Includes a brief introduction to demonstrations of Newton's second law, scattering of laser light, and the effect of a telescope on…

Describes a thin film rectangular dielectric waveguide and its laboratory use. Discusses the theory of uniaxial thin film waveguides with mathematical expressions and the laboratory procedures for a classroom experiment with diagrams. (Author/YP)

Identifies an induced incorrect generalization as a generative cause for the formation of misconception. Analyzes students' protocol of an exploratory learning experiment about the laws of reflection of light. Suggests recommendations for textbook, teaching, and practical work. (Author/YP)

Discusses laser demonstration for invoking interest in science, especially physics. Describes some examples, such as diffraction, scattering, expansion by diverging lens, internal reflection in a light pipe, and illumination through optical cable. Provides some practical hints for the demonstration. (YP)

Described is a demonstration of Snell's law using a laser beam and an optical fiber. Provided are the set-up method of the demonstration apparatus and some practical suggestions including "index matching" technique using vaseline. (YP)

Describes construction and use of a simple home-built device, using an overhead projector, for use in demonstrations of the addition of various combinations of red, green, and blue light. Useful in connection with discussions of color, color vision, or color television. (JRH)

Liquid crystal displays are currently utilized to convey information via graphic displays. Presents experiments and explanations that employ the concept of liquid crystals to learn concepts related to the various states of matter, electric and magnetic forces, refraction of light, and optics. Discusses applications of liquid crystal technology.…

Utilizes vector mathematics to explain the reflective properties of a corner cube retroreflector, consisting of three plane mirrors assembled at right angles with a common vertex. Analyzes the useful property that an incident beam of light at any point in this reflector will return on a parallel path. (MDH)

Describes an experimental course in optics for 10th grade high school students. The course incorporates those historical ideas, views, and conceptions that constituted the early understanding of light and vision. Presents a part of the course which assesses its impact on students' views about science and some related technological and cultural…

Investigates high school students' knowledge of natural phenomena related to the concept of light flux as it applies to the seasons and illumination after they studied optics. Discusses didactic, cognitive, and ontological perspectives in relation to specific changes in the science curriculum. Contains 71 references. (DDR)

Explains the scientific concepts, technical designs, and materials that make up incandescent light sources. (WRM)

Students encounter many obstacles during scientific discovery learning with computer-based simulations. It is hypothesized that an effective type of support, that does not interfere with the scientific discovery learning process, should be delivered on a "just-in-time" base. This study explores the effect of facilitating access to…

In this article the effect of light quality on the size of the photosystem II (PSII) light harvesting complex (LHCII) is studied by measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence emitted by leaf sections of oat ("Avena sativa," var. Prevision) plants previously treated with either white light or with light filtered through blue, green, red or farred…

To steer a course through the world, people are almost entirely dependent on visual information, of which a key component is optic flow. In many models of locomotion, heading is described as the fundamental control variable; however, it has also been shown that fixating points along or near one's future path could be the basis of an efficient…