A TWO-MINUTE LIGHT EXPERIMENT
Can white light
make a rainbow?
Turn on the lamp. Then slide the prism into the beam and watch the screen. Try the controls in order, or ask a grown-up to explore with you.
ASK A LITTLE WHY
Where did all those colors come from?
The light looked white before it reached the prism. The glass bent each color by a slightly different amount, spreading them out so we can see them.
TRY IT IN REAL LIFE
Can sunlight make a rainbow too?
With a grown-up, shine a flashlight through a glass of water toward a white wall. Keep the flashlight and glass safely away from eyes and electrical cords.
This original Little Why experiment uses the open Colorfigures drawing engine. About this preview.