In the next several sections we will study how light is affected by
optical elements such as lenses and mirrors.
Light coming from many different sources and directions can confuse
our studies,
because the light coming from each source is travelling
in a different direction when it encounters the optical element, and is
then affected in a different way.
So the first step is to generate
a light beam, which is light travelling in just one direction.
We will do this in this section, and then use this tool in the other
sections.
|
The haze in the air reveals the light beams that get past the cloud. The beams seem to radiate outwards, but actually are all parallel to each other; this is the same trick that perspective plays on us, that makes the two sides of a straight road seem to converge towards a point on the horizon. |
| Section | Estimated time required |
|---|---|
| Exploring a light beam | 60 minutes |
| Color filters and diffraction gratings in a light beam | 30 minutes |
| Science content: light beams | 30 minutes |
| Discussion of light beam | 30 minutes |
Another page relevant to this section:
Why study light beams?
Next section: flat mirrors