Solar panels are becoming more important every year as a greater emphasis is being placed on renewable energy. Since visible light is composed of several different colors with variable wavelengths, an uncovered solar cell will absorb all these wavelengths. To perform this experiment, take a solar cell, connect it to an amp meter -- a device that measures current -- and cover the panel with a different piece of colored cellophane. Use violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red as your colors. You should see different amp meter readings after covering the solar panel with the different cellophane pieces.
Refraction is the bending of light rays when they change medium. For example, light will bend at a different angle in water as opposed to air, due to the fact that water is a denser medium than air. To perform this project, take a glass tumbler, fill it with water, and place a piece of colored paper underneath the tumbler on a table. Then cover the glass with a saucer. You should see the colored paper magnify due to refraction. This phenomenon is also apparent when you place a straw in drinking water.
Borax crystals are some of the easiest to grow, but you must ensure that this project is done with an adult because borax is poisonous. You will need borax mixture, a pipe cleaner, food coloring, a string, a pencil, a quart-sized glass container and some boiling water. Tie the pipe cleaner onto a string; then tie the string onto a pencil. Ensure that the pipe cleaner fits into the glass container. Fill your glass container with 3 cups of boiling water. Then scoop 9 tablespoons of borax mixture into the boiling water. Squeeze several drops of food coloring into the container. Drop your pipe cleaner into the glass container with the borax mixture and let it sit for at least 12 hours.
Making sugar crystals is very similar to the borax experiment, but the amount of solute, or powder required to form the crystal, is different. If you are using a quart of water, add 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time to your boiling water until no more sugar will dissolve in solution. Once you have finished adding sugar, let the solution cool slightly and place the pipe cleaner or pencil into the solution. Crystals should grow within 24 hours.