The usual explanation for the behavior of color-changing beads is that they change color when they absorb ultraviolet light. True enough, but why? [easyazon_image align=”left” height=”109″ identifier=”B004LCQRV4″ locale=”US” src=”https://sparkamind.com/wp-content/uploads/41eQ7TW0XmL.SL1101.jpg” tag=”spaaplamin00-20″ width=”110″] [easyazon_link identifier=”B004LCQRV4″ locale=”US” tag=”spaaplamin00-20″](Affiliate link to product at Amazon)[/easyazon_link] The name for this process is “fluorescence.” Some pigments absorb light of one wavelength and […]
Jun 11 2015
Color-Changing Beads: Fluorescence from UV Light
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Aug 04 2012
New Discoveries in Oobleck Science
If you have not ever seen anyone jog on a mixture of corn starch and water – “oobleck” – check out the video from the Spanish TV show, "El Hormiguero," included in Wired Magazine’s July 11, 2012 online article, "Defying Gravity: When Strange Liquids Act Like Solids." Water and cornstarch combine to form what in […]
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May 06 2012
Nearby Winners – California State Science Fair
Congratulations to the winners of the California State Science Fair! Winners came from all over, including the following from Northern California. Marin County Neeka A. Mashouf, SPIE Optics & Photonics Award – “for the project best demonstrating scientific research and engineering applications of optical, photonic, imaging, and optoelectronic technologies.” Mendocino County The team of Jessica […]
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Apr 09 2012
Family Life Expo & Camp Fair
This is the first in what will be a series of articles about science and math education for children, activities, learning philosophy and psychology, and a few summaries and comments about interesting education-related stories from other sources. My assistant Stan Jackson and I enjoyed the March 2012 Family Life Expo & Camp Fair, our first […]
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