Why does a blu-ray disk store more information than a DVD?

CD’s, DVD’s were the most common way to store large amounts of data. Now blu-ray disks have become more prominent, replacing DVD’s as the way to store movies and video games. How do these disks store the information?

An Ice Lens

Almost every optical instrument, from binoculars to cameras to eyeglasses, contains lenses that were made by opticians. You can discover basic lens-making techniques in this activity.

Diffraction Between Wax Blocks

Diffraction is the bending of a wave around an obstacle. Try this activity out to see what happens when we add wax blocks to a ripple tank.

Interference in a Ripple Tank

What happens when waves collide? Try out this activity to see how waves in a ripple tank behave when they cross paths.

Perspectives: Powers of 10

In this activity, learners complete a series of drawing activities to explore scale and powers of 10. Use this activity to introduce learners to how scientists use specialized tools to study small things.

Shimmering Lenses

In this activity, learners use Jell-O to explore lenses and different angles of light entry.

Total Internal Reflection

When light hits an interface between two different media, it can behave in two different ways. Typically, the light partially refracts (bends) and partially reflects. The refractive index of the material is what determines how fast light travels in a material. Light travels about one and a third times faster in air than in water. Learn about total internal reflection in this activity.