======Make Rainbow With a CD======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Alternative titles:** Creating Light Patterns with a CD
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Gather materials: a blank or old CD, paper, scissors, tape, and a pencil.  
  - Find a sunny location where the CD can reflect sunlight onto a blank wall or white poster board.  
  - Hold the shiny side of the CD toward the sunlight and observe the rainbow reflection on the wall. Note the colors and shapes.  
  - Trace the CD onto sheets of paper several times and cut out circular pieces.  
  - Fold and cut these circles into snowflake or geometric designs.



====Links==== 
How to make a rainbow colors with a CD - Kids Fun Science: 
{{youtube>g1P4VSV7JIc?}}\\

📄 Rainbow Science: Creating Light Patterns with a CD - Buggy and Buddy: [[https://buggyandbuddy.com/rainbow-science-create-light-patterns-with-a-cd/]]\\


====Variations====
  * Use a flashlight instead of sunlight for indoor exploration.  
  * Try using colored or translucent paper snowflakes to see how color affects the light patterns.  
  * Experiment with DVDs or Blu-ray discs and compare the sharpness and color of the reflections.  
  * Use black paper cutouts to create shadow-based rainbow designs.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Never look directly at the sun while using the CD, only observe the reflection on a surface.  
  * Supervise young children when using scissors to cut paper.  
  * Avoid using sharp or cracked CDs that could cause injury.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does a CD produce rainbow colors when light hits it? (The CD’s surface has tiny, evenly spaced grooves that act as a diffraction grating, separating white light into its component colors.)  
  * What happens when you change the angle of the CD? (The reflected light shifts, altering the shape and position of the rainbow.)  
  * How does adding paper snowflakes change the light pattern? (The paper blocks some light rays, creating new shadow and diffraction patterns.)  
  * How is this similar to how a prism creates a rainbow? (Both separate white light into its spectrum through diffraction or refraction.)