Magical color changing glasses
You will need:
- A pair of stereoscopic lenses (polarizers)
- A pair of scissors
- Some scotch tape
Step-by-step instructions:
- Use the scissors to cut the stereoscopic glasses in half at the middle.
- Take one of the lenses and cover it with two pieces of scotch tape, according to your preference.
- Place the other stereoscopic lens (without the tape) on top of the lens that is covered with the tape. (The side that is covered by the tape is to be placed under the clear stereoscopic lens!)
- Face a bright light and slowly rotate the lens without the tape to watch the colors change like those of a kaleidoscope!
- Now, try adding more pieces of tape to the first stereoscopic lens in order to see different effects create your own unique kaleidoscope!
How it works:
Light is an electromagnetic wave. The vibration plane (wave surface) of this electromagnetic wave comprises various directions. The lenses in a pair of stereoscopic glasses are a kind of “polarizer” (or polaroid), meaning that only light from one direction can pass through them.
When two polarizers are placed together, and the polarizing directions of the two lenses are perpendicular to each other, the light that passes through the first polarizer will be blocked by the second polarizer, so that it appears dark and black.
When the second lens is rotated 90 degrees, becoming parallel to the first lens, the polarized light is able to pass through the second polarizer as well. That is why you sees changes in the lightness and darkness every time you rotate the lens by 90 degrees.
＊Resource come from: NTCU Science Game Lab.
