The Making Of A Rainbow at Home STEM Experiment

In this experiment, students will learn:
• The color combination of a rainbow
• What happens when light travels through water

Supplies:
• Tape
• Water
• Mirror
• Scissors
• White card
• Dark room
• Large clear container
• Flashlight
• Black construction paper

Instructions:
1. Using the black paper, cut out the shape of the flashlight face (area where the light comes out).
2. Cut a small slit in the middle of the black paper cover.
3. Place the black paper cover over the flashlight and secure it with tape.
4. Fill the large clear container halfway with water.
5. Stand the mirror in the water so it leans against the end of the container at an angle.
6. Point the flashlight so the light beam shines on the mirror through the water (the flashlight should be on the outside of the container and not submerged in the water).
7. Hold up the white card so the reflected light coming from the mirror can shine on it.
8. Turn out the lights so the room is dark and turn on the flashlight.

What Happened?
When light travels through water, the light beam slows down and bends, creating a rainbow. The
seven different colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) that make up the rainbow all travel at different speeds, and therefore, each color bends at a slightly different angle. The mirror reflects the different colors so that you see a rainbow or spectrum of the seven separate colors.

[clwnthr]

So in other words. Without a "mirror" in the sky, i.e. the firmament, a rainbow cannot occur ;-)