OPTICS

In physics, the field of optics is studied in different ways.  First is the study of light.  Light has both wave and particle properties.  Each of them can be manifest in different conditions.  This topic is often more of an extension of a discussion of waves and wave properties.
As you learned in chemistry class, light has the properties of frequency and wavelength. The frequency of light is a direct measurement of the energy of light.  Light is one manifestation of electromagnetic radiation.  Radio waves (huge waves) don't carry a lot of energy with them.  High energy waves are rapidly wiggling waves like microwaves, ultraviolet, x-rays, and other waves that we know carry enough energy to mess up our body (cause cancer).  They all, however, travel at the exact same speed of light.  Our eyes happen to only be sensitive to a certain portion of the EM spectrum.   

We will study reflection of light as well as refraction of light.  Refraction is the bending of light that results from light passing from one material to another.  This causes the speed to change.  Light follows a basic property of always getting from point A to point B in the quickest way.  This isn't necessarily a straight line. 

Crocodile Clips (only available within RVGS network. Run the program found in this folder.)    Look at the tutorials for help, and the examples that you can manipulate.  You can also create your own optics experiments.

Lens Applets:

http://webphysics.davidson.edu/Applets/optics4/intro.html
Add components and understand.

See frames page here:  http://webphysics.davidson.edu/Applets/optics4/default.html