Colors – Optional Activity

Experiment 5: Make Your Own Rainbow

What You'll Do:

1. Set Up Your Light Lab:
   • Get a glass prism, or make a "water prism" with a clear container filled with water
   • Find a sunny spot or use a bright flashlight
   • Have white paper or a wall ready to catch your rainbow
2. Become a Light Scientist:
   • Shine white light through your prism at different angles
   • Watch how the white light splits into all the colors of the rainbow
   • Try moving your prism closer and farther from the wall
   • Find the angle that creates the brightest, clearest rainbow
3. Compare to Real Gemstones:
   • Look at the rainbow sparkles in cut glass or crystal ornaments
   • Use your magnifying glass to see rainbow edges in your "gemstones"
   • Try your experiment with colored flashlights instead of white light
4. Understand Gemstone Fire:
   • Compare how different materials split light: regular glass vs. lead crystal vs. fancy cut glass
   • Notice how some materials create more colorful sparkles than others
   • Learn why diamonds are famous for their amazing "fire"

What You Will Learn: You'll discover that white light actually contains all the colors of the rainbow! When light goes through gemstones, it can split into these colors, creating the beautiful sparkles we see. This is called dispersion, and it's one reason why well-cut gemstones are so beautiful.

International Gem Society

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