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Outreach Demonstration Guide: Dragonfly Colours: Thin-Film Interference
AUG 08, 2024
This demonstration uses a bubble and LED light to illustrate the concept of thin-film interference. It centres a discussion on thin-film interference in dragonflies and asks participants to consider where they see reflection and refraction in their lives. As an extension, participants may find a natural object with structural colouration, such as a bird feather, butterfly wing, or beetle exoskeleton, and drop some rubbing alcohol on top to see if there are colour changes. This demo pairs well with Dragonfly Flight: Waves and Wing Movement, Dragonfly Sight: UV Light and Electromagnetic Waves, Transverse and Longitudinal Waves, and Reflection & Refraction. This demo is part of the 2024 SOCK, The Wonders of the Dragonfly.
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Looking for a new demonstration for an outreach event? Or want to jump start your chapter on outreach? These demonstrations have been developed by SPS to help you make a difference in your local communities. Each demonstration includes parts lists, instructions, key physical concepts to explain, and demonstration videos, where appropriate.
Audience:
High School (ages 14+)
Middle School (ages 11-13) & General Public
Elementary (ages 5-10)
Time:
20 - 30 min
Level of Difficulty:
Level 2