The Light Trap

The Light Trap is an Accelerate level Science Unlocked curriculum kit for the student interested in studying the science of light with an artistic flare! 

In this kit, students will investigate light's role in energy transfer and find out how pigments connect science, art, and society. They'll get hands-on with some super-black paint, see how coatings are used to make things incredibly dark, and use chromatography to test paint and ink. The Light Trap comes with a full-color Student Curriculum Workbook and a detailed Teacher Guide. It uses a phenomenon-based approach, designed to fully engage students in concepts of energy transfer, reflection and absorption, and the particle model of matter. Through a series of experiments, students will gain an understanding of how science and art are connected through the application of chemistry and physics. This Accelerate level kit will provide over 9 hours of learning, introducing your student to many foundational chemistry concepts.

The student will engage in these exciting activities:

1. Paint some objects with super-black paint
2. Learn about the darkest coating in the world, Vantablack®
3. Shine a light on albedo by experimenting with painted objects
4. See if you can make objects "disappear" using only paint
5. Compare the chromatography "crawls" of paint and ink

Use The Light Trap to answer questions such as:

• How are science and art connected?
• How are pigments used to reflect and absorb light?
• What happens to light when it hits bright and dark surfaces?
• How do super-dark coatings work?

The Light Trap kit is a part of the Science Unlocked Accelerate series and is recommended for grades 3-7.

Having trouble deciding which Science Unlocked curriculum is right for your student? Let us help you pick your kits! Simply take our Science Unlocked quiz to discover which kits we recommend for you and your student. Science Unlocked is uniquely designed to accommodate all levels of learning. There's a kit for everyone!

Interested in learning more? Check out our Student Workbook Sample and Teacher Guide Sample! 

More Information

• SDS Information

This kit contains:

• Student Workbook
• Teacher Guide
• Beaker, polypropylene, 100 mL
• 2 binder clips, small
• Cardstock, 8 ½ X 11”, white
• Construction paper, black
• Filter paper, 11cm, 10 pack
• 2 granite, gray-white specimen
• Isopropyl alcohol, 90%, 30 mL
• Light, small beam penlight
• Marker, black, permanent
• Paint brush
• Super-black paint, 25 mL
• Wooden splints, 5 pack

You will also need:

• Scissors
• Water