Activity (Hands-On)Grades 3 - 5
Create a Pinhole Camera
In this hands-on activity, students learn how light travels in straight lines and how images are inverted when passing through a small hole by creating their own pinhole camera. They explore the historical development of cameras, from the camera obscura to modern digital cameras, and discuss how engineers have played a role in these advancements.
Students create their own pinhole camerasCopyright Lawrence Berkeley Laborataory, Muller's Group, http://muller.lbl.gov/teaching/Physics10/old%20physics%2010/chapters%20(old)/11-Light.html
Optical engineers need to understand how light rays work in order to design and create devices such as cameras, lasers and fiber optics.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Understand how light rays travel in straight lines are used in the processing of images.
- Use light rays to create a photographic image.
- Explain the basics of how a pinhole camera works.