Learn about light, color, and the electromagnetic spectrum by working with hands-on materials, models and simulations, and authentic scientific spectral data.

1. Light
How does the interaction of light and matter affect the colors we see? Explore light emission, reflection, absorption, and transmission using hands-on materials and interactive simulations.
2. Spectra
How can a spectrum tell us more than our eyes can perceive? Build a spectroscope to observe different sources of light, then use the Spectrum Lab Data Tool to explore a spectrum graph.
3. Color
How are spectra and color related? Make predictions about what color your eye might detect based on the multi-wavelength spectra of different mystery objects.
4. Temperature
What can spectra tell us about an object’s temperature? Use the Spectrum Data Tool to explore how an object’s thermal emission relates to color and temperature.
5. Composition
What can spectra tell us about an object’s composition? Explore how scientists identify chemical elements and compounds through their spectral signatures.
Final Projects
Apply what you know about light, color, and spectra to Design a Fish Tank lighting system; Explore Exoplanet Atmospheres; or Analyze Artworks as a Museum Conservator.
Playground
Explore Spectral Data from over 100 different sources, from flowers and fish to atoms and artworks. Or upload your own spectrum data file. What can you discover about color, temperature, and composition?