DIY Newton's Disc

Spin all the vibrant colors of the rainbow into a dazzling visual blur with this classic Newton's disc activity!

 

Materials Needed

• Cardboard
• White paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Pencil
• Markers (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)
• Small glass jar

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cut out a cardboard circle.

Step 2: Cover the top of the cardboard circle with white paper.

Step 3: Divide the circle into 7 equal sections using a pencil and ruler.

Step 4: Color each section with a different rainbow color (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

Step 5: Push a pencil straight through the center of the disc.

Step 6: Set the pencil inside a small glass jar to serve as a steady pivot base.

Step 7: Give the pencil a fast spin between your hands and watch the colors blend into a single light hue!

Learn More

This colorful blending effect happens because of a phenomenon called "persistence of vision"! When light reflects off an object, your brain holds onto that image for about a fraction of a second after the object moves. When you spin the disc rapidly, your eyes can't process each separate color wedge as it passes by. Instead, the images of all seven rainbow colors overlap on your retina, tricking your brain into blending the wavelengths together to appear as a single white or greyish-white light!

If your young scientist loved exploring light and color physics, keep the optic discovery spinning with the Optical Illusion Tops from the KiwiCo Store!