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You are here: Home / Learn / Science / Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope

January 26, 2016 By Chelsey 19 Comments

Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope

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Make a homemade spectroscope with a few simple materials and explore the spectrum of different light sources. You’ll see all kinds of rainbows! This science activity for kids makes a great addition to a unit on light or weather and is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day too!

Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!

 

Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope using a paper towel roll and a CD. Such a fun way to explore light! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

 

Light experiments are always fun, especially when they involve rainbows!  In this science activity kids will make their own spectroscope- an instrument used to split light into different wavelengths, which we see as different colors of the rainbow. (This post contains affiliate links.)

Be sure to check out our other light experiments for kids:

Exploring Prisms

Rainbow Reflections

Exploring Reflections in Mirrors

 

How to Make a Homemade Spectroscope

Materials for Homemade Spectroscope

  • Empty paper towel roll
  • Craft knife and/or scissors
  • Blank or old CD
  • Pencil
  • Small piece of cardboard or cardstock
  • Tape
  • Paint (optional)

 

Making a Homemade Spectroscope

1. If you’ll be painting your paper towel roll, you’ll want to do that first and let it dry. (This step isn’t necessary, but it’s hard for us to pass up an opportunity to paint something!)

2. Use a craft knife (an adult should do this) to cut a thin slit at a 45° angle toward the bottom of the cardboard tube.

cut a thin strip in your homemade spectroscope

 

3. Directly across from the slit, make a small peephole or viewing hole using your craft knife (another step for an adult).

cut a viewing hole or peephole in your homemade spectroscope

 

4. Trace one end of your paper towel roll onto your small scrap of cardboard or cardstock. Cut it out.

5. Cut a straight slit right across the center of your cardboard circle.

6. Tape the circle to the top of your spectroscope.

 

make the top of your homemade spectroscope

 

7. Insert the CD into your 45° angled slit with the shiny side facing up.

 

Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope using a paper towel roll and a CD. Such a fun way to explore light! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

 

Using the Homemade Spectroscope

Start by taking your spectroscope outside. Point the top slit up at the sky (NOT directly at the sun). Look through the peephole. You will see a rainbow inside!

 

Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope using a paper towel roll and a CD. Such a fun way to explore light! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

Now try your spectroscope with other light sources like fluorescent light, neon light and candle light. Compare what you see!

 

What’s going on?

A CD is a mirrored surface with spiral tracks or pits. These tracks are evenly spaced and diffract light (separating the colors). Because the CD’s surface is mirrored, the light is reflected to your eye.

 

Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope using a paper towel roll and a CD. Such a fun way to explore light! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

 

See More Science Activities Here!


 

 


 

Be sure to check out all our science activities for kids!

science activities and experiments for kids

 


 

Be sure to check out STEAM Kids book and ebook for even more creative STEM and STEAM ideas!

STEAM Kids: 50+ STEAM STEM activities for kids

 

Filed Under: Elementary, Science, St. Patrick's Day Tagged With: cardboard tube, cd, light, rainbow, science

« 15 Elmer the Elephant Activities for Kids
Rainbow Science: Creating Light Patterns with a CD »

Comments

  1. Deborah from Mommy Crusader says

    January 26, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    All I can say is that this is very cool! This will be so much fun to try. I’m curious to see how the rainbow changes with the different light sources. Thanks so much for this fantastic idea!

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      January 27, 2016 at 12:25 pm

      Thanks so much, Deborah! I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Andrea says

    January 30, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    This is so neat! Thank you for sharing the instructions. We’re doing a lesson on light next week, so this was perfect timing!

    Reply
  3. Angel says

    February 2, 2016 at 4:57 pm

    So great! Do you think this would work with a tp tube too?

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      February 3, 2016 at 7:55 am

      Hi Angel! We haven’t tried it yet, but the kids were asking that exact same question, so we’re planning on trying it out. Let me know if it works if you beat me to it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        March 6, 2017 at 1:35 pm

        Hi– did this work with a toilet paper roll?? Thanks!

        Reply
        • Samantha says

          October 24, 2017 at 6:39 am

          I just tried it with a toilet paper tube, and I was able to see a rainbow on the cd. It was a little awkward holding it, but it seemed to work alright! I’m excited because I can’t find paper towel size craft tubes (I haven’t not been preparing!!), but I can easily buy the smaller ones! Rainbow Science Birthday party here we come! 😉 Thanks for the great ideas!

          Reply
  4. Alan Buchner says

    February 6, 2016 at 4:35 pm

    what a cool idea , thank you

    Reply
  5. Christina @There's Just One Mommy says

    February 9, 2016 at 1:40 pm

    How creative! And what a great use for old CD’s, too!

    Reply
  6. Nicole Venis says

    April 23, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    This is a super cool project. This would be a great project to teach students about mirrors and how objects reflect.

    Reply
  7. ermamma says

    May 15, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    Hi, Wouldn’t this damage the eyes?

    Reply
    • Chelsey says

      May 16, 2016 at 9:10 am

      Thank you so much for this important reminder. This is not dangerous to the eyes, as long as you do NOT directly look at the sun. The rays are not being reflected into your eyes, but against a surface that you are looking at. You’re receiving the same amount of rays as you would just going outside to play or take a walk.

      Reply
  8. AMunny says

    January 19, 2018 at 8:28 am

    did not work the way I expected, but it worked.

    Reply
  9. fanis says

    August 13, 2020 at 12:06 am

    if you add a CD to the top of the cylinder and an opening you will have a periscope

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Light Science for Kids: Ways to Explore Refraction and Reflection - Buggy and Buddy says:
    February 10, 2016 at 3:00 pm

    […] Make a Spectroscope Using a Cardboard Tube from Buggy and Buddy […]

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    February 20, 2016 at 4:57 am

    […] Homemade Spectroscope from Buggy and Buddy […]

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    February 28, 2016 at 5:55 pm

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  5. Rainbow Science Hands-on Activities for Elementary says:
    June 17, 2017 at 5:30 am

    […] Homemade Spectroscope – Buggy and Buddy […]

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Welcome to Buggy and Buddy! I'm Chelsey, a former teacher and parent living on the central coast of California. I love sharing crafts, science, STEM and STEAM activities, free printables and more! Read More…

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