Exploring Refraction

When light passes through an object, it slows down a little. It also bends, or changes direction. When light bends we call this refraction.

A straw in a glass of water appears to be broken because of refraction. I looks like the pencil is broken because the light bouncing of the pencil refracts, or bends as it goes in to the water.


We also had fun playing with lenses.

A convex lens is shaped like this.

When you look at things through it they look bigger.

A concave lens is shaped like this.

When you look at things through it they look smaller.

Look at our funny faces through lenses.