 Omar
Barnaby noticed this strange effect in the physics lab. While
looking
through a hollow, rectangular meter stick, he noticed the interesting
symmetrical pattern of repeated reflections in the side walls of the
pipe. See photo below to see the general shape of the hollow
meter
stick. The smooth interior walls of the extruded plastic act as
mirrors which reflect the light entering the tube from the far
end.
Since the mirrors line the opposite walls of the tube, multiple
reflections occur, presenting a repeated pattern of the central bright
rectangle of light in 4-fold symmetry. Kaleidoscopes are usually
manufactured with internal mirrors of 30, 45, or 60 degrees to give the
typical multiple "rosette" symmetries.
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The photo at right shows the usual
appearance of the hollow rectangular
meter stick, made of extruded plastic. Looking through the pipe
at the
wall produced the kaleidoscope effect.