Activity Description: Scouts use a flashlight and prism or CD to explore how light can split into colors and carry heat.
- Fulfills Step 2 of GSUSA Cadette Space Science Researcher badge requirements.
Info Needed: Light comes in many forms, and not all of it is visible to our eyes. Invisible light like ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) can still affect objects, create changes, and be detected through tools or reactions.
Items Needed:
- Flashlight
- Clear plastic prism or CD
- (Optional) Thermometer
- (Optional) Dark room or shaded indoor space
- (Optional) White paper or wall for rainbow display
Instructions (Estimated Total Time: 10–15 min):
- Set up the light source (2–3 min)
- Turn on the flashlight in a dim or dark space.
- Aim it toward the prism or CD at an angle.
- Create a rainbow effect (3–5 min)
- Move the prism or CD slowly until scouts see a rainbow on the wall or paper.
- Notice how the light splits into different colors.
- Talk about invisible light and heat (3–5 min)
- Explain that sunlight includes invisible light like infrared.
- (Optional) Use a thermometer to compare light and shadow areas.
- Reflect on what they saw (2–3 min)
- Scouts describe the colors they saw and how light changed when it passed through or bounced off the object.
- Ask what they think sunlight might be made of.
The Badge Archive 