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Beyond The Rainbow - The Invisible World

Take a journey beyond the rainbow in this whistle-stop tour of the electromagnetic spectrum.

What do mobile phones, microwaves, suntans, night-vision cameras and your radio have in common? Why does your mobile phone make your radio click, and how do X-rays see through your skin?

See how light can be polarised and find out why the sky is blue. Play 'guess the object' in our thermal imaging picture game, and listen to the way your TV remote control sounds!

By getting to grips with the wavelength and frequency of different types of radiation, all will become clear!

"There is no doubt at all that you made a big impact on the pupils. Your presence was definitely good for physics and for science in general" Secondary School Headmaster

Learning Objectives

Key stage 4

After watching the show Key stage 4 pupils should:

Develop an understanding that the electromagnetic spectrum is a range of radiation with differing wavelengths and properties
Understand the terms wavelength and frequency and how they relate to electromagnetic waves
Understand the differences between sound waves and light waves
Understand that white light is one small part of the electromagnetic spectrum – and the only part that is visible to the human eye
Be able to list a number of different types of electromagnetic radiation from the following list (gamma rays, X-rays, ultra-violet, visible light, infrared, microwave, radio wave)
Gain an awareness of the uses and applications of electromagnetic radiation in every day life
Gain an awareness of which forms of radiation can be dangerous to the human body and which are considered mostly safe
Understand that all electromagnetic waves can be polarised and observe polarisation in action using visible light

Duration

60 minutes

Suggested audiences

Ages 11 and over
General public adult groups

We will need the venue to provide

Power sockets
Data Projector
Projector Screen
Two long tables
Room that can be darkened