Science+8+optics+simulations+and+games

media type="custom" key="19614226" width="200" height="200" This is the PHet 'color vision' simulation. It is a great way for students to play with the additive properties of coloured light to see how to make different colours. Sure to be a hit.

media type="custom" key="19614248" width="90" height="90" This is the PHet 'geometric optics' simulation. Students can use it to see how rays are used to find the image of an object in a bi-convex lens (magnifier). They can move around the object and play with the radius of curvature, thickness and size of the lens, as well as the different rays that can be shown. If they click on the principal rays (top left) it will always show the three that we want them to know.

media type="custom" key="19614412" Here is the PHet simulation on Refraction. There are many options to play with on this one. Students can start with a single ray (or wave) from a variety of mediums and into a variety of mediums which produces the realistic refraction or internal reflection involved. There is also a prism tab, as well as a tab named 'more tools' where students can measure angles and intensities of partial reflection etc ...

Here's a link to a fairly advanced visualization of plane wave properties []

A neat simulation of interference: @http://www.falstad.com/wavebox/index.html