Bright Ideas: Exploring Light and Energy

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Summer is full of opportunities to explore light and energy.

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Energy and Power Phenomena

It is summer in Iowa and science phenomena abound. Grab your sunglasses for some outdoor fun as we look at phenomena based on light and energy.

Iowa STEM Teacher Extern, Kathy McGrane, finds examples of light and energy in a variety of places during the summer. “In Iowa, we have the pleasure of being able to see a huge amount of our gorgeous blue sky above the landscape. It is a great place to observe the properties of light in action”

Read this full article to learn more outdoor learning strategies from Kathy and get inspired by a selection of summer-focused Iowa phenomena. Be sure to explore the full Iowa Science Phenomena collection.

Causes Behind Visible Auroras In Iowa

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Marion

Predictable solar cycles can periodically allow the aurora borealis to be visible over Iowa.

three people go down a snowless tube hill on orange intertubes

Newton’s Laws at an All-Season Snow Hill

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Des Moines

At an all-season snow tubing hill, Newton’s second law of motion is observable at any time of year.

Roller Coaster Energy Flow

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Altoona

Roller coaster engineers apply several physics principles to create a safe and thrilling experience.

Refraction in Nature

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Sumner

A straight stick placed in water can appear to be bent at an angle.

A sunrise over a line of trees and a grassy meadow.

Colors of Iowa Sunrises

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Sioux Center

At sunrise, the sun is coming above the horizon and creates a beautiful mix of many different colors. There are many different reasons that these colors are so vibrant in Iowa specifically.