Topic: Lasers2 Title: Laser Eyes
Grade Level/Course: Grades 9-12 Time Frame: Indeterminate
Contributors:

Stan Hutto
Theo. Roosevelt H.S. (NEISD)
slhutto@tenet.edu                                          

                                 
                                  
Rachel Lawson
Theo. roosevelt H.S.
(NEISD)		  

Jan Mayberry
R.L. Turner H.S.(CFBISD)
mayberry@cfbisd.edu

Overview:

The students will observe the "speckled" pattern produced by a He-Ne laser projected upon a wall or screen. By moving the head from side to side, the students will notice that the speckled pattern appears to move either in concert with their motion (in the same direction) or opposite their motion. This apparent movement correlates to the observer's visual acuity (nearsightedness/farsightedness). This phenomenon can be used as a basis to collect data either locally or via the Internet.
TEKS Correlation:

Integrated Physics and Chemistry

*112.42 The student is expected to:

  • c2A plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, and formulating testable hypotheses.
  • c2B collect data and make measurements with precision.
  • c2C organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data.
  • c2D communicate valid conclusions.
  • c5B demonstrate wave interactions including interference.
  • c5C identify uses of electromagnetic waves in various technological applications.

Physics - Grades 10-12

*112.47 The student is expected to:

  • c1A demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations.
  • c2A plan and implement experimental procedures including asking questions.
  • c2C organize, analyze, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from data.
  • c2D communicate valid conclusions.
  • c8B identify the characteristics and behaviors of electromagnetic waves.
  • c8C interpret the role of wave characteristics and behaviors found in medicinal and industrial applications.

Web Mastering - Grades 9-12

*126.28 the student is expected to:

  • c4A use LANs and WANs including the Internet in research and resource sharing.
  • c7A use technology tools to create a knowledge base with a broad perspective.
  • c7B select and integrate appropriate productivity tools into the creation of WWW documents.
  • c7C use foundation and enrichment curricular content in the creation of WWW pages.
  • c7D create WWW pages using specific authoring tools.
  • c8C synthesize and generate new information from data gathered from electronic and telecommunications resources.
  • c8G participate in relevant, meaningful activities in the larger community.
  • c11A synthesize and publish information in a variety of ways.
Goals and Objectives:
  • Observe the speckled interference phenomenon produced by a divergent laser beam.
  • Develop questions which will provide a foundation for a wide spread data base.
  • Collect data and make determinations about trends.
Prerequisite Skills/Knowledge:
  • The students must understand laser safety.
  • Students should understand the concept of 3-dimensional optical wave interference.
  • Students should be able to organize large quantities of data.
 
Materials/Equipment Resources:

__Laser

__Diverging lens

__Computer with Internet access (If a wide area search is to be done.)
Instructional Activities/Strategies:

Preparation:

  1. Science classes should discuss what produces the speckled interference patterns and how the eye focuses the pattern. Nearsightedness and farsightedness should be illustrated so the students will comprehend why the patterns appear to move as they do.
  2. The class/group/student should develop a questionnaire which includes such data as result nearsighted or farsighted, gender, race, eyecolor, age, etc.
  3. Arrange with other schools, locally or via the Internet, to take and share data.
  4. A webpage explaining the project and asking for participation could be produced.

Classroom management:

Can be done as a class project, or in smaller groups.

Questions to investigate:

  1. Is there a particular characteristic, such as gender, race, or age, that has a higher occurrence rate of nearsightedness/farsightedness?
  2. Is the trend found in Question 1 local or widespread?

Data Collection:

  1. Produce a laser beam that is at least 5cm in diameter by inserting a diverging lens and reflecting the beam from a wall or screen.
  2. Each student should look at the reflected beam while moving his/her head from side to side. If the person is farsighted, the pattern will appear to move in the same direction as the head. If the person is nearsighted, the pattern will appear to move in the opposite direction of the head.
    3.
  3. If the student wears glasses, have him/her try this with and without glasses.
  4. Ask each student to fill out the questionnaire that was produced for this activity.
  5. Collect this same data from other classes locally or via the Internet. Or the students could take this out into the community to test people at various locations.

Calculations:

  1. Keep the data in a spreadsheet on the computer
  2. Analyze the data by comparing the information in the various columns.
  3. Produce a graph or other type of visual that will show the results of the research.

Communicate results:

  1. Publish the results of the activity in a document format.
  2. This document can also be published on the website, if one was produced for this project.
  3. Each school or class which participated in collecting data for this project should be sent a copy of the documented results.

 
Assessment:
  • Students should be evaluated on their participation and the thoroughness with which the project was carried out.
  • If a webpage was created, it should be evaluated by a rubric or a checklist format.

 
Teaching Suggestions/Extensions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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