General Wolfe School

Water Laser

Chris and Edward

Our project is about finding out why different colors of light could only pass through a certain color of water.

Problem: To determine why a laser will only pass through red dyed water and how a flashlight will be able to pass through any color of water.

Hypothesis: We think that the laser would only go through the red water because the laser light is only made of that color and the flashlight would go through any color because the contents of the light is made of different colors.

Materials:

-3 clear plastic cups

-red, blue, & green food dye

-water

-flashlight

-laser pointer

-paper (black)

Method:

1. Take the three clear cups and fill the cups with water.

2. Then get the green, blue, and red food dye and put two drops of each color into each of the cups.

3. Stir the water till each of the glasses with water turn into a solid green, blue, and red.

4. Take the flashlight and shine it through each of the cups, while the flashlight is pointed through the cups, take a piece, of paper (preferably black) and put it right beside the cup. Making the cup in between the flashlight and the paper.

5. Observe.

6. Repeat step 4, substituting the flashlight for a laser pointer.

7. Observe

8. Record your results

Results/Observation:

Color of Water, Type Of light, Gt* or DGT*:

Blue, flashlight, GT

Blue, laser, DGT

Green, flashlight, GT

Green, laser, DGT

Red, flashlight, GT

Red, laser, GT

GT*=Goes through, DGT*=Doesn't Go through

Conclusion:

To conclude, our hypothesis was correct by knowing that a flashlight consist of many colors and will go through any color of water, also that the laser pointer is only consisting of the red color water, enabling it to go through the red colored water only.

Application:

By doing this experiment we now know which color brings out the best in lasers. The real world can be really thankful because it can help improve lasers that we use everyday, such as laser pointers, discmans, tattoo removal surgery, eye surgery, weapons.

Links: 

Howstuffworks \How Lasers Work\

Howstuffworks \How Lasers Work1\

Howstuffworks \How Lasers Work2\

Howstuffworks \How Lasers Work3\

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