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Simple Laser Experiments To Share With Your Kids The word "LASER" stands for Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. A laser is an
optical light source that emits a concentrated
beam of photons. Lasers are usually
monochromatic – the light that shoots out is
usually one wavelength and color, and is in a
narrow beam.
By contrast, light from a regular incandescent
light bulb covers the entire spectrum as well as
scatters all over the room. (Which is good,
because could you light up a room with a narrow
beam of light?)
There are about a hundred different types of
atoms in the entire universe, and they are always
vibrating, moving, and rotating. Think of kids on
sugar. When you add energy to these atoms (even
more sugar to the kids), they really get excited
and bounce all over the place.
When the atoms relax back down to their
"normal" state, they emit a photon (a light
particle). Think of the kids as coming down from
their sugar high, and they all collapse on the
couch.
A laser controls the way energized atoms release
photons. Imagine giving half the kids sugar, and
picture how they would bounce all over the place
(like light from a bulb)when it took effect. They
would be very high-energy among the other half
who were contently sitting down.
Now imagine those sugar kids jumping in unison
(a focused laser beam). The sugar-kids are
infectious, and pretty soon, the kids around them
are joining in and sharing in their excited energy.
This is how a laser charges the atoms inside the
gas medium.
Now imagine a cat-flap that lets out a limited
number of kids out at a time, while the rest are
bouncing around inside, charging up everyone.
That cat-flap exit is the laser beam exiting the
laser. The atoms remaining inside the laser
bounce off mirrors as they charge each other up.
Before we start, you'll need protection – tinted
UV ski goggles are great to use, as are
large-framed sunglasses, but understand that
these methods of protection will not protect
your eyes from a direct beam. They are intended
as a general safety precaution against laser beam
scatter and spinning mirrors. (Yes, you will be
wearing sunglasses in the dark!)
A very neat addition to the experiments below is a
fog machine. (Rent one from your local party
supply store.) Turn it on, be sure you have good
ventilation, darken the lights, and turn on the
lasers for an outstanding laser experience!
A quick note about lasers: keychain lasers from
the dollar store work just fine with these projects.
Do not use the green lasers sold in astronomy
stores – they are too dangerous for the eyes.
Plastic Bottle Beam Fill up a plastic water or clean
soda bottle with water and add a sprinkle of
cornstarch. Turn down the lights and turn up the
laser, aiming the beam through the bottle. Do you
see
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the original beam in the bottle? Can you find
the reflection beam and the pass-through beam?
Light Bulb Laser In the dark, aim your laser at a
frosted incandescent light bulb. The bulb will glow
and have several internal reflections! What other
types of light bulbs work well?
CDs Shine your beam over the surface of an old
CD or DVD. Does it work better with a scratched
or smoother surface? You should see between
5-13 reflections off the surface of the CD,
depending on where you shine it and how good
your "seeing" conditions are.
Glass and Crystal Pass the laser beam through
several cut-crystal objects such as wine glasses
or clear glass vases. Is there a difference
between clear plastic or glass, smooth or
multi-faceted? Try an ice cube, both frosted and
wet.
Microscope Slides Shine the laser beam through a
flat piece of glass, such as a microscope slide or
single-paned window. Can you find the
pass-through beam as well as a reflected beam?
If you have it, fill a clear tank with water, add a
sprinkling of cornstarch, and put the slide
underwater. Shine the laser through the side wall
through the slide and both beams will be visible.
Lenses If you have an old pair of eyeglasses, pop
out the lenses and try one or both in the beam to
see the various effects. Try one lens, and then try
two in line with each other to see if you can
change the beam.
Filters Paint a piece of cellophane or stiff clear
plastic with nail polish (or use colored filers) to put
in the laser beam. You can make a quick
diffraction grating by using a feather in the beam.
If you have polarizer filters, use two. You can
substitute two sunglass lenses – no need to pop
out the lenses – you can just use two pairs of
sunglasses. Just make sure they are polarized
lenses (most UV sunglasses are). Place both
lenses in the beam and rotate one 90 degrees.
The lenses should block the light completely in
one configuration and allow it to pass-through the
other way.
Laser Maze Hot glue one 1" mosaic mirror (found
at most craft stores) to each wooden cube. In a
pinch, you can use aluminum foil or Mylar. Add a
fog source, such as a fog machine, dry ice, or clap
two (very chalky) chalkboard erasers together –
just be sure to have proper ventilation, as you will
also need the room to be very dark. Turn on the
laser adjust the cubes to aim the beam onto the
next mirror.
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As a teacher, engineer and university instructor
Aurora Lipper has been helping kids learn science
for over a decade.
Want More Cool Science Activities?
Rocket-launch your kid’s education by
downloading your free copy of the Science
Experiment Activity Guide from the Supercharged
Science website:
www.SuperchargedScience.com
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