This super-cool project lets kids have the fun of playing tag in the dark on a warm summer evening, without the "gun" aspect traditionally found in laser tag. Kids not only get to enjoy the sport, but also have the pride that they build the tag system themselves - something you simply can't get from opening up a laser tag game box.

While real laser tag games actually never use lasers, but rather infrared beams, this laser tag uses real lasers, so you'll want to arm the kids with the "no-lasers-on-the-face" with a 10-minute time-out penalty to ensure everyone has a good time. You can alternatively use flashlights instead of lasers, which makes the game a lot easier to tag someone out.

This game uses a simple two-transistor latching circuit design, so there's no programming or overly-complicated circuitry to worry about. If you've never built this kind of circuit before, it's a perfect first-step into the world of electronics.

I've provided you with three videos below. This first video is an introduction to what we are going to make and how it works. Here's what you need:

NOTE: We updated this circuit in 2023 to reflect "best practices" when using transistors. 

Be sure to build this project as shown in the schematic and breadboard diagrams, and not as shown in the video.

The material list below is based on the new design as shown in the schematic and breadboard diagrams on this page.

The videos show how to build the old circuit, but are still very useful.

Materials (the list below builds one complete set per kid):

Flashlight Laser Tag Schematic:

Flashlight laser tag breadboard diagram:

Introduction to the Circuit


The next two videos below show you how to build the circuit, first on a breadboard, and then how to solder the circuit together, so you can opt to watch either one. If you have someone who's handy with tools and soldering irons, invite them to build this with you.

Building the Circuit on a Breadboard

Soldering the Circuit Together

You'll need one of these circuits for every player, although you can get by with one kid having a flashlight (this is the "it" person) and the other running around wearing the circuit trying not to get "tagged". You can mount these circuits inside a soap box or cardboard box with the sensor and light peeking out. Add a belt or wrist strap and you're ready for action!

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This Unit is different. While normally, we stick to everyday items, this advanced unit on chemistry requires a full chemistry set.  The good news is, you only have to buy one item, as it includes the glassware, safety gear, workbook, chemicals, and equipment. The downside?  Don't eat any of these things, and store far out of reach from small kids and pets.

We’re going to be using real chemicals in this Unit, some of which are corrosive, hazardous, and most are toxic. This Unit is NOT for small children or households with loose pets (so stick the dog outside while you work). When your materials arrive, please keep ALL chemicals out of reach and sealed until you need them. We’ll show you how to safely store, mix, and clean up your chemicals.

Make sure you have goggles and gloves for all experiments, and protect your table (put it near a window for good ventilation) with a thick plastic tablecloth. You’ll be using real glassware for these experiments (included in the set) to do your experimenting.

 

Beginner Chemistry (Grades K-4)

For younger students, we do NOT recommend this unit.  Instead, hop on over to a more appropriate Chemistry Level for your students here in Unit 3 and Unit 8.

Intermediate Chemistry (Grades 5-12)

There are now TWO Versions of each of the kits. Please make sure you select the correct version in order to make sure the videos in the curriculum line up with the experiments in your box.

(You can no longer purchase the original C3000. This kit was discontinued in 2018. Some families still have the original C3000, so we are keeping up the old videos in case they are needed.)

For Grades 5 - 8th: Thames & Kosmos C1000 v2.0 

For Grades 9-12th: Thames & Kosmos C3000 v2.0 PLUS the items on THIS LIST.

TIP: Don't buy both the C1000 & C3000. There is a lot of overlap (at least, at the beginning of the C3000) between the two. If you know your child is going to continue their studies in Chemistry, then just get the C3000 and start your chemistry studies there. The C1000 is more for students who only need a bit of chemistry, not an entire, rigorous year-long course. 

One box of the C3000 can be used for 2-3 students before refilling. In most cases, you can purchase individual refills here.

 

 

 

 


This Unit is different. While normally, we try to stick to everyday items, this advanced electronics course requires ordering from an online electronics store.

We're going to need additional supplies to those used in Unit 10. Keep both sets of electricity materials together (both from this Unit 14 and the previous Unit 10) until you need them, as there are lots of small parts! These two sets are the ones your kids will be using until they hit college and beyond.

Note: All the parts for these projects are included in Science Mastery Diamond.

Shopping List for Unit 14: Electronics: Click here for Shopping List for Unit 14.

NOTE: Radio Shack part numbers have been replaced. Click here for full chart.

Beginner (Grades K-4)

For younger students, we do NOT recommend this unit.  Instead, hop on over to a more appropriate Electricity course for your students here in Unit 10.

Lesson 1: Intermediate (Grades 5-8)

For Lesson 1, you’ll need the following parts that can be found by clicking the links next to each part below.

The "Electronics Fundamentals" kit from FutureVision Research contains all the electronic parts (and more) needed for Lesson 1. Click here to order from FutureVision Research.

There are TWO books recommended (not required) for this unit. Here they are:

Lessons 2 is for advanced students, and advanced 5-8th graders:

For Lesson 2, you’ll need the kits listed below. Most projects take a few hours to complete. I recommend starting with the Police Siren first.

  • Police Siren This is the first kit you'll build to practice your soldering. The layout is larger than the rest, so it's easier to build. Click here to order.
  • Touch Door Alarm An annoying alarm sounds when a person touches the knob! Click here to order.
  • Rolling Clock Build your own clock with date display. Be sure to pick up the wall transformer if you want your clock to plug into the wall and not just run on batteries. Click here to order.
  • FM Transmitter Picks up sounds or voices in the room and transmits them to a nearby FM radio. This is the 'Bug' from our spy kit series. Click here to order.
  • Tools: You'll need a soldering iron (with a stand and plenty of solder), wire strippers, needle-nose pliers, diagonal cutters, and helping hands to hold your board as you work.

For Lessons 3 & 4 is for advanced students and advanced 5-8th graders:

  • Electronic Learning Lab by Radio Shack This is the best learning lab I’ve found – it comes with tons of experiments that cover both basic and digital electronics projects! It includes everything you need for all the projects in Lessons 3 and 4, and covers the fundamentals of computer technology.

If you find your students are thirsty for more reading content that is provided in the project kit, then these are my three favorites. These books are recommended (not required) for this unit at the 9-12 grade level. Here they are:


This Unit builds on the projects from Unit 12: Alternative Energy. If you haven’t already built the Steam Boat, Solar Ovens, or Stirling Engine (this engine is just for advanced students), you’ll want to go back and do those projects first.  The focus of this unit is on temperature, heat transfer, how to use these ideas to build super-cool inventions in thermodynamics.


How many of these items do you already have? We’ve tried to keep it simple for you by making the majority of the items things most people have within reach (both physically and budget-wise), and even have broken down the materials by experiment category so you can decide if those are ones you want to do.


Shopping List for Unit 13: Thermodynamics Click here for Shopping List for Unit 13.


NOTE: Radio Shack part numbers have been replaced. Click here for full chart.


Temperature Experiments

  • 2 water or soda bottles
  • food dye
  • index card
  • pot, stove
  • pepper
  • ice cubes
  • black paper, white paper
  • aluminum foil
  • rubbing alcohol
  • dime, penny, and/or nickel
  • gum wrapper (must be metallic on one side)
  • index card
  • six 7-9” balloons
  • cooking oil (about a cup of the cheap kind)

OPTIONAL:


  • 1 quart whole milk (do not substitute, unless your child has a milk allergy, then use soy or almond milk)
  • 1 pint heavy cream (do not substitute, unless your child has a milk allergy, then skip)
  • 1 cup sugar (or other sweetener)
  • 1 tsp vanilla (use non-alcohol kind)
  • rock salt (use table salt if you can’t find it)
  • lots of ice
  • freezer-grade zipper-style bags (you’ll need quart and gallon sizes)

Heat & Thermodynamics Experiments

  • clear plastic (needle-less) syringe, 5– 20mL
  • can of soda (leave unopened)
  • four votive candles or tealights
  • large glass jar (like a clean empty pickle jar)
  • matches with adult help
  • aluminum pie plate or cookie sheet
  • liquid crystal sheet
  • silver highlighter marker or aluminum foil
  • block of foam (any scrap piece will work)
  • 1/4-1/8” diameter x 12” metal tube (copper)
  • thermometer
  • bathtub
  • stopwatch, ruler, tape, scissors
  • drinking bird
  • black paint and silver (or white) paint
  • mug of hot water

For aAdvanced sStudents:

  • fresh peanuts
  • test tubes and test tube clamp
  • large paper clips
Hovercraft transport people and their stuff across ice, grass, swamp, water, and land. Also known as the Air Cushioned Vehicle (ACV), these machines use air to greatly reduce the sliding friction between the bottom of the vehicle (the skirt) and the ground. This is a great example of how lubrication works – most people think of oil as the only way to reduce sliding friction, but gases work well if done right.

In this case, the readily-available air is shoved downward by the pressure inside of balloon. This air flows down through the nozzle and out the bottom, under the CD, lifting it slightly as it goes and creating a thin layer for the CD to float on.

Although this particular hovercraft only has a 'hovering' option, I'm sure you can quickly figure out how to add a 'thruster' to make it zoom down the table! (Hint - you will need to add a second balloon!)

Here's what you need:

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  • 7-9" balloon
  • water bottle with a sport-top (see video for a visual - you can also use the top from liquid dish soap)
  • old CD
  • paper cup (or index card)
  • thumbtack
  • hot glue gun
  • razor with adult help




Download Student Worksheet here.

There's air surrounding us everywhere, all at the same pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). You feel the same force on your skin whether you're on the ceiling or the floor, under the bed or in the shower. An interesting thing happens when you change a pocket of air pressure - things start to move.

This difference in pressure causes movement that creates winds, tornadoes, airplanes to fly, and the air to rush out of a full balloon. An important thing to remember is that higher pressure always pushes stuff around. While lower pressure does not "pull," we think of higher pressure as a "push".

The stretchy balloon has a higher pressure inside than the surrounding air, and the air is allowed to escape out the nozzle which is attached to the water bottle cap through tiny holes (so the whole balloon doesn't empty out all at once and flip over your hovercraft!) The steady stream of air flows under the CD and creates a cushion of air, raising the whole hovercraft up slightly... which makes the hovercraft easy to slide across a flat table.

Want to make an advanced model Hovercraft using wires, motors, and leftovers from lunch? Then click here.

[/am4show] [am4show have='p9;p39;' guest_error='Guest error message' user_error='User error message' ] Advanced students: Download your Hovercraft Lab here. [/am4show]

This Unit is a bit different from the rest. While we usually try to keep the materials simple for you, some of these materials are not your everyday items. The projects in this unit are more intensive and expensive - you'll want to pick which ones you want to do before buying the materials.

We've broken the materials down in this list by project, so you'll find overlap between the different projects.  Most projects take a bit of time to do - they're not like the quick 5-minute activities you have seen so far.

How the shopping list works: The first lesson are simpler and less expensive projects. The second lesson includes mid-priced projects for more K-8th students, and higher-end items (like the fuel cell and BEAM robots) which are appropriate for upper grades (5th-12th). We’ll be re-using items from Units 10 and 11 here, like motors, lights, battery packs, wires, and electrical components. If you already have these parts, simply scratch them off this list.

Shopping List for Unit 12: Alternative Energy Click here for Shopping List for Unit 12.

NOTE: Radio Shack part numbers have been replaced. Click here for full chart.

Lesson 1 Experiments:

  • Bags (zipper-close and plastic)
  • balloon
  • batteries, AA-size
  • bottle, plastic two-liter
  • bowl, plastic
  • clay, modeling
  • corn syrup
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • cups (paper, plastic, and Styrofoam)
  • earphone or headset
  • Epsom salt
  • Small electric fan
  • Flowerpot with saucer (unglazed ceramic)
  • Aluminum foil
  • funnel
  • grass clippings, freshly cut
  • hole punch
  • ice chest or cooler or freezer
  • glass jars or water glass
  • lamp with incandescent bulb
  • Lysol spray
  • magnifying lens
  • match or lighter
  • mitt, insulated
  • newspaper
  • oven
  • black paint with paintbrush or black spray paint
  • paper clips
  • white copy paper
  • peanut (shelled)
  • penny
  • aluminum pie pan
  • pinwheel
  • plate
  • pliers
  • shoebox
  • silicon solar cell
  • sink
  • aluminum
  • soft drink can
  • spoons
  • straw
  • string
  • tape
  • tea bags
  • thermometer
  • tomato juice
  • watch or clock
  • water
  • wires with alligator clips

Lesson 2 Experiments:

Solar Battery

  • ½ sq. foot of copper flashing sheet (check the scrap bin at a hardware store)
  • Alligator clip leads
  • Multimeter
  • Electric stove (not gas)
  • Large plastic 2L soda bottle
  • ¼ cup salt
  • Sandpaper & sheet metal shears

Solar Oven

  • Two large sheets of poster board (black is best)
  • Aluminum foil
  • Plastic wrap
  • Black construction paper
  • Cardboard box
  • Pizza box (clean!)
  • Tape & scissors
  • Reusable plastic baggies
  • Cookie dough (your favorite)

Marshmallow Roaster

  • 7x10” page magnifier (Fresnel lens)
  • Cardboard box, about a 10” cube
  • Aluminum foil
  • Hot glue, razor, scissors, tape
  • Wooden skewers (BBQ-style)
  • Chocolate, marshmallows, & graham crackers

BristleBot

  • Old toothbrush
  • Tiny vibrator motor (you can also rip one out of an old cell phone) or use a disk motor
  • Small watch battery

Solar Vehicles

Wind Turbine

Fruit Batteries

  • Apple, lemon, grapefruit, lime, potato, or other fruit/vegetable
  • A digital Multimeter
  • Alligator clip leads
  • Zinc plate or galvanized nail
  • Copper plate (1/2” x 2”) or shiny copper penny (you can scrub a tarnished penny with ketchup to shine it up)

Steamboats

  • Copper tubing (1/8”-1/4” dia x 12” long)
  • Votive candle
  • Foam block
  • Scissors or razor (with adult help)
  • Bathtub

For Advanced Students

Stirling Engine

  • three soft drink aluminum cans (Pepsi work best because of their unique rim shape)
  • old inner tube from a bicycle
  • super glue and instant-dry accelerator
  • electrical wire (3-conductor solid 14g copper wire)
  • water bottle cap
  • 7-9" latex balloon
  • fishing line (we used 15 lb. test, but any strength will work fine)
  • 3 old CDs
  • Penny
  • Nylon bushing
  • Votive candle and lighter
  • Wooden base and wood screws (optional)
  • Tools: tin snips or stainless steel scissors, pliers, can opener, hammer, drill and 1/16” bit, wire cutters, razor, push pin, electrical tape, permanent marker, swiss army knife

Crystal Radio

Fuel Cells

Fuel Cell Car Kit (Item# KT-FUELCCK from www.hometrainingtools.com). This kit is a bit expensive, but if you want to build a car that runs entirely from sunlight and water, this is the one you want to get.  The company that makes this particular model also sells the conversion kits for (real!) cars. Great starter kit for kids interested in fuel cell technology - after kids get the hang of how it works, they can up the power and perhaps use it on a go-cart?

Beam Robots

  • Tiny eccentric vibrating motor (or Solorbotics, or you can also rip one out of an old cell phone)
  • Vibrating disk motor from Solarbotics (you can also rip one out of an old cell phone) or get one from Jameco
  • Two 2.2k-Ohm resistors (or Solarbotics)
  • Six 4700 μf electrolytic capacitors (or Solarbotics)
  • Two PNP 3906 transistors (or Solarbotics (get a few extras, as these are the first things to burn out
  • Twp NPN 3904 transistors  (or Solarbotics) and get a few extras, as these are the first things to burn out)
  • Two voltage triggers from Solarbotics (get the MCP112-315)
  • Two 37x33mm solar cells from Solarbotics (we won't be using the circuit on the back - just the solar cell)
  • Paper clips (a few of each: small and large)
  • Hot glue gun, soldering iron with solder, electrical tape
  • Pliers, wire cutters, diagonal cutters (if you have them)

Optional Beam Robots: After you've built the BEAM robots above, you can move onto more advanced designs.  Here are the parts you'll need for them:


Before you reach for the pack of Duracells, watch our video on the best batteries to use when starting out with your electricity experiments. (The answer is much cheaper than you think.) Here’s what you need to know:


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Let’s see how much you’ve picked up with these experiments and the reading – answer as best as you can. (No peeking at the answers until you’re done!) Just relax and see what jumps to mind when you read the question. You can also print these out and jot down your answers in your science notebook.


Click here for a printer-friendly version of the Unit 9: Light & Lasers Exercises.


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1. Can light change speeds? How about sound waves?


2. Can you see ALL electromagnetic waves with your eyes?


3. Which has a longer wavelength, red or blue light? Which has more energy?


4. Give three examples of a light source.


5. Are radio waves the same thing as sound waves?


6. How does a microwave cook your food?


7. How is a snake like a TV remote?


8. Does UV light have more or less energy than visible light we can see with our eyes?


9. Is light a particle or a wave?


10. What was so cool about Einstein’s red light/ blue light experiment?


11. How do you make yellow light? Yellow paint?


12. What does a prism do?


13. How far do you need to rotate the sunglasses to block most (if not all) light?


14. Why does the pencil appear bent? Is it always bent?


15. How can you make a glass container disappear?


16.How does a microscope work?


Need answers?

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Let’s see how much you’ve picked up with these experiments and the reading – answer as best as you can. (No peeking at the answers until you’re done!) Just relax and see what jumps to mind when you read the question. You can also print these out and jot down your answers in your science notebook.


Click here for a printer-friendly version of the Unit 9: Light & Lasers Exercises.


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1. What does LASER stand for?


2. How is a laser different from an incandescent bulb?


3. What are two things that can split a laser beam?


4. How do you make a laser beam visible?


5. What’s the secret behind the laser light show?


6. How do lasers damage things?


Need answers?

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Let’s see how you did! If you didn’t get a few of these, don’t let it stress you out – it just means you need to play with more experiments in this area. We’re all works in progress, and we have our entire lifetime to puzzle together the mysteries of the universe!


Here’s printer-friendly versions of the exercises and answers for you to print out: Simply click here for printable questions and answers.


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1. Light can change speed the same way sound vibrations change speed. (Think of how your voice changes when you inhale helium and then try to talk.) The “speed limit” of light is 186,282 miles per second – that’s fast enough to circle the Earth seven times every second, but that’s also inside a vacuum. You can get light going slower by aiming it through different gases. In our own atmosphere, light travels slower than it does in space.


2. No. Human eyes can only detect a small portion of all light (in the visible range).


3. Red light has a LONGER wavelength and LESS energy than blue light.


4. Campfire, the sun, and a neon OPEN sign.


5. No. Radio waves are LIGHT waves that are very low energy and have a loooooong wavelength.


6. By aiming light beams at your food which are specially tuned to excite the water molecule. Since all foods have water, this works to heat up your food. Excited molecules are ones that jiggle and zip around fast, which is also called heat


7. Both use IR (infrared) light. The snake is a detector and the TV remote is an emitter.


8. Longwave UV are black lights you can get around Halloween that make things glow and fluoresce, and these types of lights are not damaging to living tissue even though they have more energy than visible light. Short wave UV (which have shorter wavelengths and more energy), however, are damaging and can burn your skin.


9. Both, and you really can’t separate the two.


10. When you aim a blue light on a metal plate, electrons shoot off the surface. Red light doesn’t cause electrons to eject, however, no matter how bright you make the red light. It’s the wavelength, not the intensity that matters with the photoelectric effect.


11. Mix together green and red light to get yellow light. Yellow paint is a fundamental color that can’t be made from any others – you have to start with yellow.


12. A prism un-mixes the light beams into its separate colors.


13. The sunglasses need to be 90 degrees from each other.


14. The pencil appears bent (or broken) because the water and the glass change the speed of light. Depending on where your line of sight is, you can make the pencil appear broken or whole.


15. Besides hiding it in a closet, you can also place a Pyrex glass container inside a glass container filled with mineral oil, vegetable oil, or light Karo syrup. The index of refraction is the same for both, so our eyes are unable to see the difference between the two.


16. A microscope uses lenses that bend the light to make things appear larger. Using two convex lens magnifiers, you can find the tiny owl in the upper corner of the dollar bill that’s normally hidden to the naked eye.


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Let’s see how you did! If you didn’t get a few of these, don’t let it stress you out – it just means you need to play with more experiments in this area. We’re all works in progress, and we have our entire lifetime to puzzle together the mysteries of the universe!


Here’s printer-friendly versions of the exercises and answers for you to print out: Simply click here for printable questions and answers.


1. Light can change speed The word “LASER” stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.


2. Light from a regular incandescent light bulb covers the entire spectrum as well as scatters all over the room. A laser beam is monochromatic – the light that shoots out is usually one wavelength and color, and is in a narrow beam.


3. Glass (like a window pane) and clear plastic (like a water bottle).


4. Take it in a steamy room, like just after a hot shower. Or aim it through a glass of water that has a drop of milk in it.


5. The laser beam hits a spinning mirror that’s off-center. The more angled the mirror mount, the larger the image that the laser traces out. Which is why this is a perfect project for kids – the sloppier they build it, the better the laser light show.


6. High-power CO2 lasers have an intense amount of heat that melts through metal. These aren’t the lasers we’re going to be working with! The lasers at the grocery store are Class I lasers, which will harm your eye if you stare into it without blinking once for at least 15 minutes. These ‘keychain’ lasers are Class II & III, some of which can overpower your retina in less than a minute, and the damage is irreversible. When I work with kids in a live Laser Lab class, I have a zero-tolerance rule (which is explained beforehand): if misused, I just walk over, take the laser without a word, and keep it. Class proceeds as normal, and it’s up to the kid to figure out how to finish the project.


Polarization has to do with the direction of the light.  Think of a white picket fence – the kind that has space between each board.  The light can pass through the gaps int the fence but are blocked by the boards.  That’s exactly what a polarizer does.


When you have two polarizers, you can rotate one of the ‘fences’ a quarter turn so that virtually no light can get through – only little bits here and there where the gaps line up. Most of the way is blocked, though, which is what happens when you rotate the two pairs of sunglasses. Your sunglasses are polarizing filters, meaning that they only let light of a certain direction in. The view through the sunglasses is a bit dimmer, as less photons reach your eyeball.


Polarizing sunglasses also reduce darken the sky, which gives you more contrast between light and dark, sharpening the images. Photographers use polarizing filters to cut out glaring reflections.


Materials:


  • two pairs of polarized sunglasses
  • tape (the 3/4″ glossy clear kind works best – watch second video below)
  • window

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Here’s what you do: Stack two pairs of sunglasses on top of each other and look through both sets of lenses… now rotate one pair a quarter turn (90o).  The lenses should block the light completely at 90o and allow light to pass-through when aligned at 0o. These lenses allow some light to pass through but not all. When you rotate the lenses to 90o, you block out all visible light.


You use the “filter” principle in the kitchen. When you cook pasta, you use a filter (a strainer) to get the pasta out of the water. That’s what the sunglasses are doing – they are filtering out certain types of light. Rotating the lenses 90o to block out all light is like trying to strain your pasta with a mixing bowl. You don’t allow anything to pass through.


Astronomers use polarizing filters to look at the moon. Ever notice how bright the moon is during a full moon, and how dim it is near new moon? Using a rotating polarizing filter, astronomer can adjust the amount of light that enters into their eye.



 
Download Student Worksheet & Exercises


Advanced students: Download your Polarization lab here.


Exercises


  1. Why do you need two polarizers to block the light completely?
  2.  How can you tell if your sunglasses are polarized if you only have one pair?

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Crazy Remote

Want to have some quick science fun with your TV remote? Then try this experiment next time you flip on the tube:


Materials:


  • metal frying pan or cookie sheet
  • TV remote control
  • plastic sheet

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Making IR Visible to the Human Eye

Infra-red light is in the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that isn’t usually visible to human eyes, but using this nifty trick, you will easily be able to see the IR signal from your TV remote, remote-controller for an RC car, and more!


  • TV remote control
  • camera (video or still camera)



 
Download Student Worksheet & Exercises


Exercises


  1. Look over your data table. What kinds of objects (plastic, metal, natural, etc.) allow infrared light to pass through them?
  2.  Why does the camera work in making the infrared light visible?

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