E-Book Overview
Why is left right and right left in the mirror? Baffled by the basics of reflection and refraction? Wondering just how the eye works? If you have trouble teaching concepts about light that you don t fully grasp yourself, get help from a book that s both scientifically accurate and entertaining with Light. By combining clear explanations, clever drawings, and activities that use easy-to-find materials, this book covers what science teachers and parents need to know to teach about light with confidence. It uses ray, wave, and particle models of light to explain the basics of reflection and refraction, optical instruments, polarization of light, and interference and diffraction. There s also an entire chapter on how the eye works. Each chapter ends with a Summary and Applications section that reinforces concepts with everyday examples. Whether you need a deeper understanding of how light bends or a good explanation of why the sky is blue, you ll find Light more illuminating and accessible than a college textbook and certainly more fun.
E-Book Content
Stop Faking It!
Finally Understanding Science
LIGHT
So You Can Teach It
Stop Faking It!
Finally Understanding Science
LIGHT
Arlington, Virginia
So You Can Teach It
Claire Reinburg, Director Andrew Cocke, Associate Editor Judy Cusick, Associate Editor Carol Duval, Associate Editor Betty Smith, Associate Editor ART AND DESIGN Linda Olliver, Director Brain Diskin, Illustrator NSTA WEB Tim Weber, Webmaster PERIODICALS PUBLISHING Shelley Carey, Director PRINTING AND PRODUCTION Catherine Lorrain, Director Nguyet Tran, Assistant Production Manager Jack Parker, Desktop Publishing Specialist PUBLICATIONS OPERATIONS Erin Miller, Manager sciLINKS Tyson Brown, Manager NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION Gerald F. Wheeler, Executive Director David Beacom, Publisher Copyright © 2003 by the National Science Teachers Association. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America by Victor Graphics. Light: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It NSTA Stock Number: PB169X3 07 06 5 4 3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Robertson, William C. Light. p. cm. — (Stop faking it!) ISBN 0-87355-215-61. Light—Study and teaching (Middle school) 2. Optics—Study and teaching (Middle school) I. Title. QC363.R54 2003 535'.071'273—dc21 2003004143 NSTA is committed to publishing quality materials that promote the best in inquiry-based science education. However, conditions of actual use may vary and the safety procedures and practices described in this book are intended to serve only as a guide. Additional precautionary measures may be required. NSTA and the author(s) do not warrant or represent that the procedure and practices in this book meet any safety code or standard or federal, state, or local regulations. NSTA and the author(s) disclaim any liability for personal injury or damage to property arising out of or relating to the use of this book including any recommendations, instructions, or materials contained therein. Permission is granted in advance for photocopying brief excerpts for one-time use in a classroom or workshop. Requests involving electronic reproduction should be directed to Permissions/NSTA Press, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201-3000; fax 703-526-9754. Permissions requests for coursepacks, textbooks, and other commercial uses should be directed to Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923; fax 978-646-8600; www.copyright.com.
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