The photo at the left
shows an air track in the Physics lab. The Physics Photo of the
Week (reproduced on the right) is made from looking down the
inside of the rectangular pipe. The camera was positioned on the left
end of the track looking toward the large air hole for the air
supply. The smooth extruded aluminum of the hollow air track
forms fairly smooth mirrors. The image at the right shows
multiple images of the single hole being reflected by the inside walls
of the air track. The bright image in the center is the direct
image, all the other holes in the image are reflections and multiple
reflections off the inside walls like a kaleidoscope. Notice how
the hole images on the periphery are fainter and more blurred due to
loss of light and clarity with each reflection.
The image at the right is a similar kaleidoscope
image, but looking down the air track from the air hose end.
The inside corners of the air track have been drawn on the
image to help see the origin of the multiple images.All images here and on the previous page were photographed by physics assistant: Dan Sockwell.