Explore the electromagnetic spectrum

Astronauts live beyond the Earth’s protective ozone layer and, while they still are in the magnetosphere, they’re exposed to higher levels of radiation. Much of this radiation is emitted from the sun in the form of visible and invisible light. In this lesson, students use a prism in sunlight to learn that light has frequencies and wavelengths that determine the colors of light we see. Then, students use ultraviolet (UV) sensitive beads to investigate UV levels of different light sources. Next, they build a spectrometer to measure light wavelengths including infrared and UV light levels in their environment. Finally, students research a local UV index to determine UV radiation around them and discuss the sun protection factor (SPF) levels for sunscreen.

Learning objectives

• Students can describe the electromagnetic spectrum, its composite radiation wavelengths, and which wavelengths comprise visible light.
• Students can explain why astronauts are exposed to more harmful forms of radiation in space than on Earth.
• Students can build a detection instrument such as the spectrometer.
• Students can use the spectrometer to detect which radiation wavelengths are emitted by a variety of light source