Properties of Light Lab Report
Instructions: In the Properties of Light—Bending Light Lab you will explore how light rays interact as they pass from one material, or medium, to another. Record your observations in the lab report below. You will submit your completed report.
Name and Title:
Include your name, instructor's name, date, and name of lab.
Objective(s):
In your own words, what was the purpose of this lab?
Hypothesis:
In this section, please include the if/then statement you developed during your lab activity. This statement reflects your predicted outcome for the experiment.
If I project light rays through (choose one: air, water, glass), then they will refract, or bend, the most.
Procedure:
Please be sure to identify the test variable (independent variable) and the outcome variable (dependent variable) for this investigation. Remember, the test variable is what is changing in this investigation. The outcome variable is what you are measuring in this investigation.
Test variable (independent variable):
Outcome variable (dependent variable):
Select Intro to begin.
Once the simulation loads, you will drag the protractor onto the screen so that the 0 lines up with the dotted line in the center of the screen. Select the More Tools icon at the bottom of the lab interactive and be sure to select the Normal and Angles boxes. Do Not move the laser light.
You will test all three materials in the bottom, blue half of the screen: air, water, and glass. Remember, do not move the laser light.
Record your observations of how the light rays interact as they pass from air, on the top of the screen, through the three materials on the bottom of the screen
Data:
Record the data from each trial in the data chart below. Be sure to fill in the chart completely.
Material Interactions
List any observations you made as the light rays passed from the air on the top of the screen to the selected material on the bottom of the screen. Evidence
Using the protractor, measure the angle as the light passes from the top material to the bottom material on the screen. Also, note the index of refraction for each as indicated on the screen.
Trial One Air on top
Bottom angle:
Bottom index of refraction:
Air on bottom
Trial Two Air on top
Bottom angle:
Bottom index of refraction:
Water on bottom
Trial Three Air on top
Bottom angle:
Bottom index of refraction:
Glass on bottom
Conclusion:
Your conclusion will include a summary of the lab results and an interpretation of the results. Please write in complete sentences.
Did your data support your hypothesis? Use evidence to explain.
Which material refracted the light rays the most: air, water, or glass?
Which material refracted the light rays the least: air, water, or glass?
How does density affect refraction?
Diamonds are a very dense material. Predict what would happen to the light ray if you projected it from air through a diamond.
Explain where you observe reflection, refraction, and absorption of light in your everyday activities.