Thursday, April 18, 2013

AP Physics Snells Like Physics

Use your tank and the magnets to prove/explain snell's laws
Materials:
Video
This video shows the general idea if you have a laser level you can use it in place of the objects. 


Instructions

  1. Fill Tank
  2. place magnet @ center of front and rear face
  3. Tank so axis perpendicular to tank is 0 degrees
  4. Place a pencil on the paper behind the tank (curved part) and mark its position on the paper
  5. Look through the front of of the tank @ tank level.  Close one eye.
  6. Align the rear magnet so that 
    • the front magnet the rear magnet and the image of the pecil are lined up
    • this means that the front object should block the image of the one behind it.
  7. Take your second pencil and place it so it also lines up.  Mark it on the paper
  8. Repeat for 5 other trials.  Making a table of angles of incidence and refraction.
*Bonus is there an angle at which you can no longer see the pencil through the tank?  If so record it.

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