Absorbing Lasers and Experiment Assumptions -Period 1

Today, we pointed lasers at different materials to for different in the way it reflects and if there is a difference, then why. We found out that the walls and floors "cling more too light, and meetal and laminated paper, reflected it more. We then also figured out that the color of the laser piont colored different when it was on a black background and on a white background. We then decided thatthe black absorbed the light. Then we still had to figure out what happened when the laser got pointed on the wall. We decided to come back on that later.

Then Mr. Finley told us that our experiment on Friday had gave data that he had never seen before. We then tried to figure out his assumption that he made.

We made three guesses:

• The size of the light bulb
• We all had the lights on at the same time
• The type of the light bulb

The type of the light bulb did affect the experiment. When we did the experiment again with a normal light bulb the light did spread out everywhere, and ther was no circle on the ceiling. When we used the flood light there was a circle on the ceiling. This makes sense because a flood light is made to send all the light out in one direction.

We then went over the homework. We started by drawing our idea. Ryan went up and drew his idea. His drawing showed the light bulb with a few rays coming out. We then a

sked ourselves what was wrong with Ryan's drawing, if there was anything wrong. We decided that, yes, there was something wrong . There should be an infinite amount of rays coming out of one spot on the light bulb, and an infinite amount of rays coming out of the ligh

t bulb.Then Mr Finley, and the class changed it to the light bulb having an infinite amounts of rays coming out it, and an infinite amount of rays coming out every spot on the light bulb.

We then reminded ourselves

what we did on Friday, which was we tried to find out how many rays came out of one spot on the light bulb. Mr. Finley

also pointed out that if we drew curved lines on our quiz in the near future we would lose points, because we have tested this and know that they are straight. Then we asked ourselves what is happening when we move the cardboard closer to the wa

ll. We decided it became more concentrated. Why is it

more concentrated? Because there is less space for it .

We also got our quizzes back today. We were told that we have to work on our scientific writing a bit more. There are different kinds of letters on your quiz, next to your answers. These correspond with the rubric you can find online under the tab Course Information on Mr Finley's teacher webpage.

DB