Reversing Arrows Experiment

We’ve done this light refraction experiment many times before, but this time it’s Alice in Wonderland themed.

A reversing arrows science investigation is very easy and can be made as simple or creative as you wish.

If you don’t want to theme it like I have below, just draw arrows on a small piece of card or paper and place them behind a glass of water.

If you like the Alice in Wonderland theme, I have a similar mirror writing activity too!

You’ll need

Paper straws

Card or paper

Plasticine

Tape

Felt tip pens

A tall glass of water

Instructions

Create signs like I have in the image below.

Place a glass of water in front of the signs and watch what happens.

Try moving the glass closer to the sign and further away. You should find that if you move the glass closer to the sign the image is not reversed.

Image of an Alice in Wonderland puppet with arrows on signs behind her for a light refraction science investigation

The science of light refraction

The light reaching your eye coming from the arrow is refracted ( bent ) through the glass of water. The glass of water acts like a convex lens (like you might have in a magnifying glass). Convex lenses bend light to a focal point. This is the point at which the light from an object crosses.

diagram showing refraction of light through a glass.

The light that was at the tip of the arrow is now on the right side and the light on the right side is now on the left as far as your eye is concerned (assuming you are further away from the glass than the focal point.