National Chemistry Week - Experiments - Broken Pencil?

THE AIM:

To show that looking at objects through water makes them appear different.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 pencil
• 1 tall clear glass
• water

WHAT TO DO:

1. Fill the glass to 5 cm from the top with water.
2. Put the pencil into the glass of water.
3. Look down into the glass at the pencil. Then look at the pencil sideways through the glass.
4. Make observations.

The rays of light bend as they enter the water. The reason that light is bent in water is that water is denser than air. This is what causes the illusion of the broken pencil.