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Wait—Light is Made of Other Lights?
Submitted by: Erin M.
Recommended Grade Level(s):
Appropriate for: Grades 7–12
Teaching Topics & Concepts:
Chemistry and physical science, Light Waves, Spectra, Transmission, Absorbance, Refraction.
Standards:
MS-PS4-1, MS-PS4-2, MS-PS4-3. For high school standards alignment, this works toward HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-3, and HS-PS4.
If instructors want to target additional standards, the pre-lab and post-lab questions can be altered accordingly.
Time Requirements:
Activity Time: Two 45 minute periods (one in which to create the boxes, and the second in which to
perform the observations and answer the debriefing questions.
Teaching Topics & Concepts:
The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate that different types of light emit different frequencies of light. To make this
practical for a middle school or high school science lab, simple diffraction grating lenses, boxes, and duct tape are used to
make spectroscopes. Students use these to observe the spectral lines of several different light sources.
Please note: I am not the first teacher to make spectroscopes from cheap diffraction lens and cardboard boxes, and you can
find assembly instructions for more sophisticated setups online. This is an inexpensive option that students can build with
minimal skill.
Materials:
• Instructors can prepare the spectroscopes beforehand or have the students assist in making the appliances.
• Small cardboard box (cereal boxes, small shipping boxes, etc. work well for this activity)
• Duct tape, metal tape, or other light-blocking adhesive tapes
• Utility knife or box cutter
• Linear diffraction gratings—these can be acquired from many different vendors. The ones I used for this
lab are 500 lines/mm, for wavelengths in the visible spectrum (300–700 nm).
• Ruler
• Masking tape or other low-tack tape (for mounting the grating)
• Marker or pen for marking areas to cut
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