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In this activity about afterimages, learners explore what happens when receptor cells called cones in your eye's retina get tired. Learners will stare at a simple red shape, such as a bird, glued onto white poster board and then quickly stare at an image of a birdcage. Learners will be surprised to see a bluish-green (cyan) bird in the cage. Learners repeat the process with a green bird and a blue bird to discover what color images appear when their eyes become fatigued.
- 10 to 30 minutes
- 10 to 30 minutes
- $1 - $5 per student
- Ages 6 - 14
- Activity
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per student)
- 4 white posterboards or pieces of paper
- Bright red, green, and blue construction or contact paper
- Small piece of black construction or contact paper, or black marking pen
- Scissors
- Glue or glue stick (if you are using construction paper)
- Adult help
Subjects
-
Life Sciences
-
Human Body
- The Brain and Nervous System
-
Human Senses and Perception
- Vision
- Perception
-
Human Body
-
Physical Sciences
-
Vibration and Waves
- Light and Optics
-
Light and Optics
- Sunlight and Color
-
Vibration and Waves
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
-
The Scientific Process
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- see color
Learning styles supported:
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All rights reserved, The Exploratorium,
Funding Sources:
- National Science Foundation
- California Department of Education
- NEC Foundation of America