Smoke and mirrors. For centuries, this phrase was the magician’s hallmark. It was believed that most stage illusions were accomplished with the aid of these tools. One of the more popular tricks of the 1800s was making your assistant disappear and reappear at will. Although we won’t tell you how it was done yet you might figure it out after performing this experiment.
Things Required:
Clear drinking glass
Plastic CD case
Matches
Plate
Candle
Directions:
Remove the cardboard insert from a clear CD case. Open and position the case so that the clear plastic sections may form a stable right angle. Place a drinking glass on the near side of the clear plastic. Place a candle on a plate and position them on the opposite side of the CD case.
Make an adult light the candle. From the drinking glass side, look into the plastic and find the reflection of the glass. Move the glass so that its reflection may align with the lit candle. Dim the lights in the room. When the glass is in the correct position, the reflection and transmitted image will combine to make it appear as if the candle is burning within the glass. It is magic? No, it’s science!
This Is What Happens:
The image that you see in the CD case is a mix of both reflected light and transmitted light. The reflected light comes from the drinking glass. The transmitted light comes from the candle. Since both images overlap, your brain assumes that they came from the same location and places the burning candle in the glass.
