Optical Rotation Bowl

 

Optical Rotation Bowl Demo Picture
Optical Rotation Bowl Demo Picture 2
Optical Rotation Bowl Demo Picture 3

  • Illuminate bowl with polarized light. Bowl, and objects within,
    appear multi-colored when viewed through a polarizer. Rotate polarizer to
    see colors change.
  • Phenomenon is the result of optical rotation. Linearly polarized light gets rotated by molecular composition of bowl; extent of rotation
    depends on wavelength of light, causing angular separation of colors.
  • Located in L01, section B5.

 

 

Barber Pole

 

Barber Pole Demo Picture

  • Shine polarized light through a bottle of corn syrup. Bottle of syrup appears multi-colored when viewed through a polarizer. Rotate polarizer to see colors change.
  • Phenomenon is the result of optical rotation. Syrup rotates linearly polarized light; extent of rotation depends on wavelength of light, causing angular seperation of colors.
  • Located in L01, section B5.