What is the Color White?

Purpose: To discover the colors of white light

Materials

• white paper plate
• ruler
• compass
• 1 yard of string
• crayons
• scissors
• pencil
• science journal

Procedure

1. Use the compass to draw a circle around the inner edge of the paper plate. If the plate has a rippled area around the edge, draw the circle inside this edge.
2. Make a small pencil mark at the center of the plate. Stick the pointed end of the compass onto the plate and draw a circle.
3. Using scissors, cut out the circle.
4. Starting form the mark at the center of the plate, use a ruler to draw three straight lines out to the edge of the plate so that you make three equal pie-shaped sections on the plate. Color one section red, one section green, and the last section blue.
5. Lay your ruler across the center of the circle. Use your pencil to mark the point 3 cm to the left of the center and another point 3 cm to the right of the center.
6. Use your pencil to punch a small hole at each point.
7. Thread the string through the holes (in one hole and out the other) and tie the ends of the string together, forming a loop that passes through the two holes of the plate. See diagram.
8. Center the paper plate on the string and twist the plate around until the twist is tight and meets your fingers holding the string.
9. Pull the twisted ends of the string apart so that the string unwinds and observe the colors on the plate.
10. Record your observations in the science journal.

Conclusion

1. What happened to the colors on the plate?
2. Why do you think this happened?