Question 9
Describe the construction of a kaleidoscope.
To make a kaleidoscope, we will take three rectangular mirror strips each about 15 cm long and 4 cm wide. We will join them together to form a prism as shown in the figure below:
After that, we will fix the arrangement of mirrors in a circular cardboard tube or tube of a thick chart paper. It should be slightly longer than the mirror strips. Close one end of the tube by a cardboard disc having a hole in the centre, through which we can see.
In order to make the disc durable, we will paste a piece of transparent plastic sheet under the cardboard disc. At the other end, touching the mirrors, we will fix a circular plane glass plate.
After that, we will place on this glass plate several small pieces of coloured glass (broken pieces of coloured bangles). Close this end of the tube by a ground glass plate. Allow enough space for the colour pieces to move around.
Our kaleidoscope is ready.