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In this mobile-ready simulation, students have access to robust tools to explore refraction phenomena. The introductory activity focuses on refraction of light between two media with different indices of refraction. Newly added features include speed, light, and light intensity tools to investigate how speed and wavelength of light changes in different media. View the light as a single laser beam or as a wave. Finally, click on "Prisms" to see how incident rays behave upon hitting differently-shaped prisms. Can you figure out how to make a rainbow?
Editor's Note: This resource is so versatile, it can easily be adapted for both middle school and high school. Registered users have access to a set of teacher-created lessons, Power Point questions, student guides, and assessment pieces. Registration is free.
Next Generation Science StandardsWaves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (MS-PS4)
Students who demonstrate understanding can: (6-8)
Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer (HS-PS4)
Students who demonstrate understanding can: (9-12)
Disciplinary Core Ideas (K-12)
Wave Properties (PS4.A)
Electromagnetic Radiation (PS4.B)
Crosscutting Concepts (K-12)
Patterns (K-12)
Systems and System Models (K-12)
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices (K-12)
Analyzing and Interpreting Data (K-12)
Developing and Using Models (K-12)
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!
![]() <a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/items/detail.cfm?ID=14542">PhET. PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5. Boulder: PhET, December 22, 2017.</a>
![]() (PhET, Boulder, 2017), WWW Document, (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light).
![]() PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5 (PhET, Boulder, 2017), <https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light>.
![]() PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5. (2017, December 22). Retrieved February 17, 2025, from PhET: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light
![]() PhET. PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5. Boulder: PhET, December 22, 2017. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light (accessed 17 February 2025).
![]() PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5. Boulder: PhET, 2017. 22 Dec. 2017. 17 Feb. 2025 <https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light>.
![]() @misc{
Title = {PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5},
Publisher = {PhET},
Volume = {2025},
Number = {17 February 2025},
Month = {December 22, 2017},
Year = {2017}
}
![]() %T PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5 %D December 22, 2017 %I PhET %C Boulder %U https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light %O text/html ![]() %0 Electronic Source %D December 22, 2017 %T PhET Simulation: Bending Light - HTML5 %I PhET %V 2025 %N 17 February 2025 %8 December 22, 2017 %9 text/html %U https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/bending-light Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. |