Experiments

If you are interested in owning a prism of your own, you can purchase prisms from science education and nature stores. You can also find great prisms inside of some kinds of binoculars (ask an adult if they have a broken pair lying around - but ask first before you begin to dismantle them).

Create the prismatic effect with crystals from a lamp or piece of jewelry. (Again, ask an adult first.)

Create a water prism using a clear glass or jar filled with water (a square jar or small fish tank works best). Place the container in a well-lit window of a room that is otherwise fairly dark. By moving the container around, you can cause a prismatic effect on the opposite wall of the room.

A simple compact disc will create the prismatic colours of the rainbow if you look at the surface under bright light. The thousands of tiny grooves on the surface of the CD cause the light to split into its component colours in a process called diffraction.

What else can you find lying around in the house to create a prism? If you run out of ideas, you can also go outside on a hot summer day and create a fine spray with a hose. The result is your own rainbow, complete with rain!