What is light? How does it operate? What are its properties? Why is it so important to the foundations of our physical world? The Physics of Light examines the nature of light and how it’s harnessed in our lives. The basic properties of light and the wave model are explained, while various applications are demonstrated using these facts. We discuss the concepts of wavelength, frequency, speed, reflection, refraction, total internal reflection and dispersion. We investigate the EMR spectrum, the colour of objects, and the addition and subtraction of colours are explained.
Subjects: Physics
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Principles of Physics 1: Mechanics and Light
The program presents key concepts of mechanics and light, employing high quality graphics and animations, live footage and worked examples of relevant formulas. Conveniently structured in short clip format, the mechanics section covers scalars and vectors, equations of motions, projectile and circular motions, Newton’s laws of motion including a dynamic illustration of the third law in action, kinetic and potential energies both gravitational and elastic, energy conservation, collisions, and conservation of momentum. The light section covers light as a wave, wave equation, combining light of different colours, reflection in plane and curved mirrors including ray diagrams, refraction, convex and concave lenses including ray diagrams, polarisation, diffraction, interference, photoelectric effect, wave-particle duality.
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Science of Curling – Pebbling The Ice
The surface of curling ice is purposely covered with little ice bumps called ‘pebble’. How does sliding a rock on pebbled ice compare with sliding a rock on smooth ice? Does it really make a difference?
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Science of Curling – The Effects of Sweeping
Sweeping is the most distinctive and unusual element of curling. We run some tests to get an understanding of its role and its importance.
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The Science of Broomball, or How Not to Fall Down on Ice
Broomball players rely on special shoes to keep their feet planted firmly on the ice. What makes these shoes so special and how much better are they than regular sneakers?
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Rolling Soup Can Race
Rolling soup cans down a ramp reveals a great deal about rotational motion and answers the age-old question: which accelerates faster – chicken noodle or chicken gumbo?
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Rolling Races
What will roll down a ramp faster – an empty jar or a jar full of water? What about a jar of water vs. a jar of jam? And what does it tell us about the physics of rotation?
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Displacing Water With Pins and Cotton
Any pbject submerged in a fluid displaces a volume of fluid equal to its own volume. Objects like straight pins and cotton balls occupy a very small volume, so how much of each can be placed into an almost full glass of water? You’ll be amazed!
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Hydraulics
Forces can be transmitted through liquids. These demonstrations illustrate how significant mechanical advantage can be built into a hydraulic system.
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Why is the Sky Blue?
Some simple demonstrations help us understand how sunlight is scattered as it passes through the atmosphere, and why blue light is scattered more than red!