STEM Box: Newton's Prism Experiment (Made in Canada)

It's well-known that a prism (including a raindrop) breaks light up into a rainbow (its "spectral colours").  But why does this happen? 

For an excellent overview of how and why a prism bends and separates white light into a rainbow of colours, click here (2:34 minutes). 

Our STEM Box enables you to re-create Sir Isaac Newton's prism experiment demonstrating that white light is comprised of all of the colours of the rainbow. Using a "clean" and coherent source of white light, you will use the prism to split the white light into a rainbow, and then use the magnifying glass to re-combine the colours back into white light.  Included are:

(1) A coherent white light source - in lieu of a white-light laser, sometimes used underwater and costing $200+, we find an LED (CREE) flashlight with a focusing ring works well (included).

(2) A prism made of acrylic which is 200% more transparent, weighs less, and is more durable than glass. The supplied Right Angle Prism is precision-crafted and makes an excellent student prism.

(3) A magnifying glass.

(4) A template to help with set-up and arrangement.

(5) A detailed set of instructions, including a kid-friendly basic explanation.

Recommended for Age 5 & Up (with adult supervision)