Activity using UV Beads

1. Activity using UV Beads

2. UV Beads What makes these beads special? What can they show us? What can you do with them? Design an experiment that will use the UV beads. Develop a testable question that can be answered by collecting data from an experiment. Materials available: UV beads pieces of material film canisters/pill bottles hats sunscreen

3. UV Beads • Explorations: • Purpose: To demonstrate that the sun gives off energy that we can see (visible light) as well as energy that we cannot see (ultraviolet rays). To observe the effects of ultraviolet rays, take the beads (covered) out on a sunny day, expose them to the direct sunlight and have the students observe and record the beads’ reaction. Discuss or hypothesize what has caused the • beads’ color to change. • What does it teach? • Use the beads to teach kids about the ultraviolet radiation and the care that needs to be taken to prevent the damage it may cause. Ultraviolet (UV) light is the invisible radiation that will give you a sunburn and injure your eyes if you're not careful. Sunglasses and sunscreens absorb UV photons. You can test their protective qualities by using your UV detecting beads • Note: the beads will change color in reaction to both UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays can penetrate glass and deeper into skin. This type of radiation is now getting more attention as a potential cause of skin cancer despite the fact that it doesn't cause skin to tan or burn. UVB rays (which causes tanning and burning) doesn't usually penetrate glass so you don't get tan indoors. The filtering of UVB rays by glass will affect the intensity of the color change of the beads (another possible experimental variable if desired. • Have students design experiments that will use UV beads. Have them develop testable questions that they can answer by collecting data from their experiments. • Some ideas might be to test the effectiveness of various sunscreens, sunglasses, or containers such as pill bottles. • They might also test different types and colors of materials or different hats that they like to wear outdoors. • Teacher Background Information What are UV beads? To understand what they are, you first have to understand a little bit about light energy. Not all light is made up of the same energy. Solar energy beads provide students an opportunity to uncover an invisible form of light energy called ultraviolet (UV) light. UV beads are not affected by regular visible light such as that emitted by incandescent light bulbs within a classroom. UV beads remain white indoors or when ultraviolet light is blocked. The beads change color in direct sunlight or in black light (which contains UV light), then change back to white when removed from UV light. When exposed to even the smallest amount of UV light, the pale off-white beads turn into colored beads. • http://iteachinquiryblog.com/?p=97 a video

4. Background Information • What are UV beads? To understand what they are, you first have to understand a little bit about light energy. Not all light is made up of the same energy. Solar energy beads provide students an opportunity to uncover an invisible form of light energy called ultraviolet (UV) light. UV beads are not affected by regular visible light such as that emitted by incandescent light bulbs within a classroom. UV beads remain white indoors or when ultraviolet light is blocked. The beads change color in direct sunlight or in black light (which contains UV light), then change back to white when removed from UV light. When exposed to even the smallest amount of UV light, the pale off-white beads turn into colored beads. • http://iteachinquiryblog.com/?p=97 a video