Eric Braun - Curious Pearl Investigates Light: 4D an Augmented Reality Science Experience

Curious Pearl here! Do you like science? I sure do! I have all sorts of fun tools to help me observe and investigate, but my favorite tool is my science notebook. Thats where I write down questions and facts that help me learn more about science. Would you like to join me on my science adventures?

Youre in for a special surprise!

Im so excited! Sabina and her grandma invited me to their cabin for the weekend. For two days well be swimming in the lake and playing in the woods! Our friend Sal got to come too. Sabina, Sal, and me three best buds.

You know whats even cooler? Sabina brought her water rocket. Look at that thing go!

Wait, where did the rocket go? I asked.

I think it landed by the water, Sal said.

Lets find it, Sabina said.

When we started searching, Sabina found something but not the rocket. Her goggles.

Ive been looking everywhere for these, she said. I cant believe I didnt see them last night. They were right here.

Well, Sal said, the Sun is out now.

What does that have to do with it? Sabina said.

The Sun is a big light, Sal said.

Actually, the Sun makes light, I said. Light is a form of plants and many animals need.

I stopped and pulled out my notebook. I wanted to write this down.

Sunlight is energy that plants and animals need to survive. Plants use sunlight to make food for themselves. The process is called .

The Sun is the largest source of light, I said. But there are other sources, like fire and electric lamps.

Wow, are you a smarty-pants? Sabina asked.

I read about it in a book, I said. I also read that light travels in a straight line. But I dont really understand that. Maybe Im not a smarty-pants.

Look! Sabina said. My shovel and bucket. I lost them ages ago. But I never saw them in the dark under the dock.

Wait, Sal said. Dark under the dock? When its light out?

The docks makes it dark underneath, I said.

To make a shadow, an object must be all light. Translucent objects absorb some light but also allow some light to pass through.

Hmm, Sabina said. That might have something to do with light traveling in a straight line, like you said. See how the shadow only goes on one side of the dock? She pointed toward the horizon. The Sun is behind us, and it shines at an angle in a line toward the dock.

Then she pointed at the shadow. The shadow is on the other side of the dock, in front of us.

Good thinking, Sabina, I said. Now whos the smarty-pants?

Before she could answer, Sal pointed and asked, Hey, whats that?

We all ran over to see what he was pointing at. It was an old metal box.

Thats my uncles tackle box, Sabina said. She held it up to get a better look in the sunlight.

Hey, stop that! Sal said.

What? Sabina asked.

The off of the metal, and its hitting my eyes, replied Sal. It hurts.

I think were learning something new about light, I said. When the Sun hits the dock, it stops. But when it hits the metal box, it reflects back. I wrote in my science notebook.

Light reflects off some materials, such as metal or mirrors.

Time for dinner! Sabinas grandma said.

We all ran over to the table and sat down.

Look, Sal said, pointing at my glass. The light goes right through your water.

Youre right, I said.

I reached into my bag and grabbed my magnifying glass. I held it out so the Sun shone through it.

Eureka! I said. The light goes through the glass too, but it bends. See where the light is hitting the ground?

Cool! said Sal.

The magnifying glass is .

Wow, I said, that makes sense.

Later that evening, we went back outside.

Well never find the rocket in the dark, Sal said.

We can if we bring lights, Sabina said. She handed us both a flashlight.

Just then, I saw something orange in the grass. A Frisbee! I said. Frisbees are plastic. Theyre translucent. That means some light shines through it.

Yes, I can see it, Sal replied. What else is translucent?

We all brainstormed, and I wrote down some examples.

Thin plastic, paper, and frosted glass are translucent.

I picked up the Frisbee. Sabina shined her light through it.

In the light, the Frisbee is bright orange, Sabina said. But when I take the light away, you can barely tell what color it is.

My book said that all colors are contained in light, I said.

Sabina made a funny face. That makes zero sense, she said.

It makes perfect sense, her grandma said. When light hits an object, the object absorbs some of the light. Then you cant see that part of the light. But it also reflects some of the light. Reflected light is the color you see with your eyes.

I think I get it, I said. What about something that is white?

When something is white, it is reflecting all the colors, she said.

Now, what do you think is happening when you see black? Sabinas grandma pointed to the black barbecue grill.

I have a guess, Sal said. That object absorbs all the colors and reflects none of them.

You got it! Smarty-pants! Sabinas grandma said, smiling.

Sabina, Sal said. I think I see your rocket.

We followed him into the tall grass by the water. Yep, there it was. Sabina quickly pumped it up.

I said, I think you should wait until

WHOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

There it went. And went. And...

Lost.

Again.

Lets look for it in the morning, I suggested. When the Sun is out.