Presents an activity that investigates the reflections on a mirror. Focuses on the relationship between a person's height and the mirror's height. (YDS)

This article reports on a study that was designed to describe prospective elementary teachers' prior verbal and diagrammatic knowledge about various aspects of light, seeing, shadows, and mirror images. Data were collected through individual interviews using simple apparatus. Included are some inferences about how students' ideas may have emerged…

Describes the construction and operation of an apparatus used to study the optical properties of solids using reflection. (JRH)

Describes the function of the various parts of the microscope and their integration in the formation of an optical image. Presents a procedure for setting up a microscope to obtain maximum resolution and contrast for each objective lens at all magnifications. (JRH)

Presents a demonstration used to give meaning to the terms node, amplitude, wavelength, and quantization. (JRH)

Describes an inexpensive fog machine that is useful for photography and laser demonstrations. The apparatus uses liquid nitrogen to chill steam to make a fine mist safe for precision optics. The device can be made for around $50. (MVL)

Describes a traveling-wave demonstration that uses inexpensive materials (crepe-paper streamers) and is simple to assemble and perform. Explains how the properties of light waves are illustrated using the demonstration apparatus. (LZ)

Presents the Night Spectra Quest, a pocket-sized chart that identifies in color the spectra of all the common night lights and has an integrally mounted, holographic diffraction grating to look through. (JRH)

Presents a quick, convenient method to determine the index of refraction as well as a unique application of the laser. (ZWH)

Provides a demonstration using an overhead projector and colloidal mixture to produce a red sunset. Uses an opal to make blue, clear, and red sky effects. (MVL)

Provides a method for making brighter ray-tracing techniques for optics demonstrations. Uses common optical equipment and no longer needs the commercial ray box. (MVL)

Discusses the properties and application of three light-to-voltage optical sensors. The sensors have been used for sensing diffraction patterns, the inverse-square law, and as a fringe counter with an interferometer. (MVL)

Provides an inexpensive method (less than $125) for performing experiments usually requiring a laser. Suggests building a laser diode light source, a device for producing multiple parallel beams, a light meter, a polar/analyzer, a laser light show apparatus, and a circuit to modulate the laser diode intensity. (MVL)

Proposes an alternative approach to locating the image formed by a lens. Two special rays are used to locate the image, then a number of other rays are drawn in to indicate that light from the object passes through every part of the lens. (MVL)