Bending Light

Bending Light Screenshot
  • Snell's Law
  • Light
  • Refraction
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Topics

  • Snell's Law
  • Light
  • Refraction

Description

Explore bending of light between two media with different indices of refraction. See how changing from air to water to glass changes the bending angle. Play with prisms of different shapes and make rainbows.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Explain how light bends at the interface between two media and what determines the angle.
  • Apply Snell’s law to a laser beam incident on the interface between media.
  • Describe how the speed and wavelength of light changes in different media.
  • Describe the effect of changing wavelength on the angle of refraction.
  • Explain how a prism creates a rainbow.
Version 1.03

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein UG-Intro
HS
MC Physics
Wave unit (Inquiry Based) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Demo
Lab
Physics
Exploring How Light Behaves at Boundaries A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Elyse Zimmer HS Lab Physics
Bending Light Exploration Lab A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Cynthia Bordash K-5 Lab Physics
Refraction Investigation A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. John Macuk HS Lab Physics
Bending Light -Refraction and Reflections A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Danny Rehn UG-Intro
UG-Adv
Lab
HW
Physics
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Earth Science
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain UG-Intro
HS
Other Chemistry
reflection refraction and total internal reflection tahani sarayreh HS
UG-Intro
Lab Physics
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS
Other Biology
Physics
Chemistry
Activity sheet_reflection_refraction Rabin Rabe UG-Intro Guided Physics
Refraction and Snell's Law Lab Kristin Michalski HS Lab Astronomy
Physics
PHET Digtial Wave Lab Martin Hofkamp K-5
MS
HS
HW
Lab
Physics
Critical Angle & Total Internal Reflection Simon Lees HS HW
Guided
Lab
Physics
Refraction and Snell's Law Simon Lees HS HW
Lab
Guided
Physics
Determining Speed and Intensity of Light during Refraction Simon Lees HS HW
Guided
Lab
Physics
Reflection in a plane surface Simon Lees HS Guided
Lab
HW
Physics
Light and Waves E-Learning Activity Gregory O'Neill HS CQs Physics
Snell's Law and the Index of Refraction Daniel Nieman HS Lab Physics
Bending Light Dorian McIntire MS
HS
UG-Intro
Demo
HW
Lab
CQs
Physics
Other
Refraction of Light Ayesha Ayub K-5 Lab
PhET Inquiry - Bending Light Paul Martenis HS Lab Physics
Total Internal Reflection Shawn Templin HS Lab
Bending Light Worksheet Kristy Bibbey HS Lab
CQs
Snell's law Lab - Inquiry based Argirios Paschos HS Lab Physics
Praktische opdracht breking en terugkaatsing Havo 4 Kees Lazonder HS Lab Physics
Valguse murdumine Siim Tõkke HS Lab
HW
Physics
Sisepeegeldus Siim Tõkke HS Lab
HW
Physics
Hukum Snellius Endra Putra Raharja dan Hamzah HS Lab Physics
PEMANTULAN dwi sulistyorini MS Lab Physics
光の屈折 Hiroto Kuninaka, Akira Ogihara, Taichiro Goto MS Lab
Guided
Physics
Miopia e Hipermetropia (Lentes) no "Bending Light" Artur Araújo Cavalcante e Gilvandenys Leite Sales MS
HS
Other
HW
Other
Guided
Other
Earth Science
Physics
Curvando a luz y' e y" HS Other Physics
REFRACCION DE LA LUZ daniel cruz ochoa MS Lab Physics
Laboratorio de Refracción Jesús Alfredo Mantilla Lobo HS Lab Physics

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Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Noah Podolefsky (lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Trish Loeblein
  • Emily Moore (interviews)
  • Sam Reid (developer)
  • piccolo2d