Rams take care of Rams! At the Little Shop of Physics, we believe you learn science by doing science. Science is something that can be done with everyday materials. In your Little Shop of Physics Care Package you received rainbow glasses, refrigerator magnets, and a bracelet. Below are some suggestions on things to try with your materials. We love to hear about your discoveries, please share what you learned with us on social media or with an email (cns_lsop@mail.colostate.edu).

Rainbow Glasses

What to do:

Put on the glasses and look around the room.

DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN (this could permanently damage your eyes).

What do you notice? Where do all the colors come from? Try different lights.

What is happening:

White light is made up of all colors. These glasses break light up into separate colors, so you can see them. These glasses will allow you to see what visible colors of light are in different light sources. What does your computer screen look like? How about a flashlight or your desk lamp?

These glasses are also called diffraction glasses. Astronomers use diffraction on star light to determine what stars are made of!

More details:

For more information about light, check out Everything You Need to Know About the Electromagnetic Waves: https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/2018/07/16/everything-you-need-to-know-about-electromagnetic-waves/

Refrigerator Magnets

What to do:

Place your refrigerator magnets together, label sides out. Try sliding them back and forth and side to side. What do you notice?

What is happening?

The refrigerator magnets are sticky close up, maybe one paper thickness away from your fridge. Try to stick more than two sheets of paper to your fridge with a refrigerator magnet, and it is not very sticky. This is due to how the poles on the refrigerator magnet line up. When you rub your magnets together in a certain direction, you will feel the magnets slip and stick as you move them back in forth. It make a buzzing sound. The magnetic poles on the magnet are like tiny stripes next to each other, alternating north and south. The change in magnetic field between the lines is strong, but only close up. Is the label side of the magnet as sticky as the dark side of the magnet?

More details:

For more information about magnets, check out Everything You Need to Know About Magnetism: https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/2018/03/28/everything-you-need-to-know-about-magnetism/

Bracelet

Explore:

This bracelet changes purple! Try different experiments to make it turn purple.

Explain:

Science is all about exploration. Embrace your inner scientist and see what you find!