wonderworks - questacon...kaleidoscope. the kaleidoscope consists of three mirrors forming an...
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FACT SHEET
Wonderworks
Questacon’s Wonderworks exhibition is a chance to explore beautiful and fascinating scientific phenomena. Wonderworks encourages visitors to find out more about the science behind what they are seeing. We’ve all seen a stunning rainbow after a summer afternoon rain shower, or the symmetry in a flower. Observations of the world around us are what led humans to invent science. Finding patterns, beauty and symmetry are important in quantifying and predicting phenomena in the world around us.
A highlight of the exhibition is the Wonderworks Curiosity Corner, where visitors can join Questacon staff and volunteers on an exploration of anamorphic mirrors, ellipses, puzzles and word illusions, and a range of demonstrations and challenges.
The centrepiece of Wonderworks is the Distorted Room. A video screen inside this strange, distorted room will show you appearing to grow and shrink as you walk around. The room’s sloping walls, floor and ceiling creates this surprising optical illusion.
The science behind beautiful bubbles is explored with the Bubble Projector exhibit, where visitors shine white light through a thin sheet of bubble film and watch the colours that are projected onto a wall. The colours seen on the wall provide clues as to just how thick the bubble film is in places.
Visitors to Wonderworks can also see themselves stretch into infinity in all directions as they climb inside a giant kaleidoscope. The kaleidoscope consists of three mirrors forming an equilateral triangle. Light reflects off visitors and onto each mirror’s surface. It then reflects off the surface and bounces into the other mirrors, creating multiple reflections.
The Questacon website also includes information on each exhibit plus teacher resources.
Current as of November 2014 [14228]
King Edward Terrace Canberra02 6270 2800www.questacon.edu.au
Media enquiries:0439 399 [email protected] dark backgroundson light backgrounds
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