Light Lab
Explore reflection, refraction and double-slit interference
Build small optics experiments to compare reflection, refraction, dispersion and interference, including a separate photon double-slit view.
Key idea
Reflection changes a ray’s direction at a surface; refraction changes it when light crosses between media. Interference depends on combining waves. These models answer different questions and should not be treated as interchangeable pictures.
Try this first
Place a mirror or prism on the optical bench and follow the light path. Change its angle and compare reflection with refraction. In the separate double-slit mode, compare the accumulated pattern with and without the modeled observer.
How to get started
- Choose an optics-bench preset, then drag the source, its aiming handle or an optical element.
- Add mirrors, glass, prisms, lenses or slits. Select an element to adjust its angle, size or optical properties.
- Compare white light with a single wavelength. In the photon view, vary the slit settings and observation to explore the screen pattern.
Explore a little further
Try another experiment
In double-slit mode, accumulate a pattern without an observer, then compare with observation enabled. Notice the pattern built from many detections rather than treating any single detection as the whole distribution.
Good to know
The optical bench and photon view use different educational models. In the photon view, the observer changes the modeled measurement condition; compare the resulting distributions over many events.
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