Electrical Power
How is power related to energy? What determines the power rating of a device? Electrical devices are commonly rated in units of power, such as a 100-W...
Compound Circuits
How can voltage, current, and power be used to predict the behavior of electric circuits? In the first part of this investigation, you will predict the...
Magnification of mirrors and lenses
What kinds of images can be made by lenses and mirrors? Mirrors change the direction of light through reflection. Lenses bend the direction of light through...
Reflection in a Plane Mirror
How and where does an image form in a mirror? If you look at yourself in a mirror, then where is your image located? In this investigation, you will use...
Refraction of Light
How does light refract at a boundary? What is the index of refraction of water? Refraction may change the direction of light rays passing from one medium...
Creating Real and Virtual Images with Lenses
What is the difference between real and virtual images? How can you create real and virtual images...
Image Formation for a Convex Lens
How does a convex lens form an image? How do you measure the focal length of a lens? Light travels in straight lines unless an optical device—such as...
Build a Microscope and a Telescope
How do a microscope and telescope work? The basic microscope and telescope are each a compound optical device that uses two lenses. The object is imaged...
Phosphorescence
What property of light is required to cause a material to phosphoresce? Glow-in-the-dark plastic may seem like a toy, but it has powerful physics embedded...
Archimedes' Principle
In this lab, students will use force sensors to measure the change in gravitational force on an object in the air and on that same object immersed in water.
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