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What a kaleidoscope is and how it works is a question not only asked by children, but also by adults who want to know how the colourful patterns in the small tube are created. The toy actually already existed with the ancient Greeks.
What is a kaleidoscope? A detailed explanation
What is a kaleidoscope is a good question. It is a simple and ancient children’s toy. Even the ancient Greeks are said to have used a kaleidoscope. The word comes from the Greek and means roughly “beautiful image-seer”.
- However, it did not find use again until modern times, when the Scottish physicist David Brewser accidentally discovered its use in 1816. Brewser observed crystals in a mirrored metal tube. The beautiful light images tempted him to apply for a patent for the popular children’s toy.
- The kaleidoscope works through a series of different glass plates. The tube has a peephole at one end and a matt glass plate at the other. Behind the latter there are coloured moving glass parts.
- The coloured parts are between two glass plates. The back one is the matt one so that enough light for the reflection falls into the tube. The front one is transparent so that the eye can see the colours clearly.
- There are three or four mirror strips in the tube that touch each other lengthwise. This makes the particles move between these mirrored edges at the end of the tube. The colours of the particles are reflected so many.
- Now look through the tube and you will see a coloured pattern that changes constantly as you turn the tube.
