ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
To create a spectrum with a prism, you first need a thin band of parallel
light rays in the form you get when sunlight shines through a narrow slit.
You can easily create this effect with a good old 35mm slide projector and a
special 'slide' made from a 50mm square piece of card with a 1mm wide slit.
If you shine a wide beam of light through a prism, you just see a patch
white light with faintly colour-tinged edges.
The easiest way to achieve the effect you describe is to put enough water in
a small glass aquarium tank and mount that above head-height. Then shine
your projector beam almost horizontally but slightly downwards into the
water, with its 'slit' arranged horizontally. Adjust the focus and you'll
see a really beautiful spectrum on the floor below the tank.
My feeling is that this is more likely to produce the effect you want than a
diffraction grating.
Promoting public engagement with science
through a contagious delight in phenomena
*
[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
*
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/ian-russell/0/636/305
*
Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]