Changing Colors

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Learners experiment with a commercially available liquid-crystal coaster. They warm the material with their hands for varying lengths of time and observe the changing colors that result. As the liquid-crystal is heated, the molecules move around, changing the thickness and direction of each layer. Light reflects differently depending on the thickness and orientation of the layers, creating many changing colors. This activity is written to use a coaster, but there are multiple products which use liquid crystals that could be used. See materials list for options.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 4 - 14
Resource Type:
Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • One 4 in. by 4 in. piece of Fickle FoamTM (Davis Liquid Crystals, Inc., San Leandro, CA)
  • other items with heat-sensitive liquid-crystals (see resource for recommendations)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Nanotechnology
  • Physical Sciences
    • States of Matter
    • Structure and Properties of Matter
      • Atomic Structure
    • Vibration and Waves
      • Light and Optics

Informal Categories

  • Toys

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

Funding Source:

  • National Science Foundation