Driving Question:
Does the position of the mirror affect the light on how it will be reflected?
Introduction:
The infinity mirror effect is produced whenever there are two parallel reflective surfaces which can bounce a beam of light back and forth an indefinite infinite number of times. Although, there is actually only a few lights. Mirrors date back to ancient times when men saw reflections in a source of water such as a river or pond, believing it was some type magic. The first mirrors that were made were composed of polished stone black volcanic glass & were found in Anatolia around 6000 B.C. Wayne Potter came upon the idea of the infinity mirror, which is a set of mirrors, one reflective mirror & only a one one-way mirror. The one-way mirror partially reflects an image back onto the fully reflective mirror, creating a series of smaller and smaller reflections that appear from a far distance.
Materials:
Mirror
Window Tint
LED lights
Styrofoam
Marker
Scissors
Ruler
Procedure:
1. Gather all your materials. Your mirror can be any size, and also the color of your LED lights does not matter. Don't forget to clean your mirror before beginning the project.
2. Build the frame for the perimeter by measuring each side of the mirror, you will need to have four pieces total (or however many pieces your mirror needs) then glue or duct tape it all together.
3. Set all pieces to each side & then place holes on the Styrofoam where your LED lights will be placed.
4. Plug in your lights & your procedure is complete.
Safety:
Be careful whenever you cut the mirror and when you are using the blade to cut the Styrofoam! Lastly be careful whenever you are putting the LED lights, don't break them or damage them since an electrical accident could occur!
Action Videos:
Scientific Principle/ Essential understanding:
Law of reflection- which is when light is reflected and then the eyes receive light waves, and make it appear that the waves are diverging from behind the mirror. Making it an illusion that is happening to the mirror behind it. The mirror will reflect because of the parallel appearance when the lights are turned on, the reflect will show an optical illusion of the lights going on in an infinite pattern, instead of one way like a regular mirror. Light rays are reflecting from both the front of the object and from the back of the object. After the first reflection, you see one image in each mirror: a front-side image in one mirror and a back-side image in the other. After the second reflection, you see a second image in each mirror, then a third, and so on. As you look at the images formed in one of the mirrors, notice that there is an alternation of front and back views, that the images appear to be grouped in pairs, and that a front side is always facing a front side and a back side is always facing a back side.
Image result for how an infinity mirror works
Real Life Connection:
Where and how it is currently being used?
Infinity mirrors are currently used in museums or any place the shows off art work. Visual artists, especially contemporary sculptors, have made use of infinity mirrors. Yayoi Kusama, Josiah McElheny, Ivan Navarro, and Taylor Davis have all produced works that use the infinity mirror to expand the sensation of unlimited space in their artworks.
How does it benefit our society?
The mirror itself has no real benefit to society rather than the fact we are able to see ourselves and not look horrific. On the other hand LED lights are by far the most energy efficient, the cleanest and most Eco-friendly way of illumination. They last longer than regular lights would, have a much better energy efficiency, are able to withstand harsh conditions, lighting features close to no UV emissions, has powerful flexible design features, operational to work in extreme cold or hot weather, can be turn on & off multiple times & LED Lighting Can Run on Low-Voltage Power Supply. This helps our society by having more power for us to use during our everyday lives.
What are some future benefits and application of this project?
Another benefit of led lighting is that its usually easy to install which means you will save time and money on installation. Led lights are becoming more efficient and more cheap nowadays they are more affordable that couple of yeas ago.
Investigation Questions:
1. What makes the mirror look infinite?
Light rays are reflecting from both the front of the object and from the back of the object. After the first reflection, you see one image in each mirror: a front-side image in one mirror and a back-side image in the other. After the second reflection, you see a second image in each mirror, then a third, and so on.
2. Is the mirror diverging or converging?
A concave mirror is called a converging mirror because it brings incoming parallel rays together.
3. Why did we have to use a one way mirror and not a two way mirror?
In order to create the reflected optical illusion, the only mirror that would work would be the one way mirror because that mirror already creates an illusion on its own. After putting the full effect with the lights and tint the mirror creates the illusion of being infinite. This wouldn't of worked with a two way mirror because that is flat.
4. Does the position of the mirror affect the light on how it will be reflected?
After the mirror is completely set up, the only time the position of the mirror will effect the illusion is when you look directly straight into the mirror, you will get the full effect then. However you will be able to tell that is looks infinite right away, but if you want to see it up close and get a better look at it to see the illusion and the physics behind it, then you have to look straight into it like we did in our video.