Sunsets and Light Scattering—Demonstration Kit

Product Details

Who hasn't paused at twilight to gaze at a dazzling sunset with its brilliant oranges and reds? Illustrate the phenomenon of a colorful sunset with this simple demonstration. Students will easily observe the effect of light scattering in reflected and transmitted light that lead to the beautiful hues of a sunset. Initially invisible, a light beam shining through water in an aquarium will slowly appear and gradually take on a blue tint, mimicking the scattering of light by air molecules in the sky. As the blue and violet wavelengths are scattered, the transmitted light changes from yellow to orange and then finally to a beautiful red, just like the setting sun. Kit includes all the materials needed to perform the demonstration 10 times, along with detailed instructions and a reproducible student worksheet. Concepts: Light transmission versus scattering, Rayleigh scattering, Tyndall effect. Time Required: 15 minutes Materials Provided: Pine-Sol, plastic aquarium tanks, flashlight.