Local children can discover how common lasers are in everyday life, from Sega Dreamcasts to CD players to digital cameras, at the next CU Wizards show "Lasers and Light" on Saturday, May 27.
Dana Anderson, optical physicist and professor of physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, will explain the marvels of lasers and light at 9:30 a.m. in the Duane Physics building, room G1B30. The free hour-long presentation is intended for children in grades five through nine.
Anderson will explain how lasers work and what they are used for in eye surgery, fiber optics communication and the television remote control. He'll use lasers to measure extremely small distances and to pop a balloon inflated inside another one without popping the outside balloon.
Anderson also will demonstrate to the audience how the human eye detects light and how "white light" is made up of all the colors in the spectrum.
"I'm happy if the kids come away with a fascination of lasers and lights," Anderson said. "I also want to show them that scientists have an enormous amount of fun."
CU Wizards is an annual program that provides an informal introduction to astronomy, chemistry and physics. The series includes presentations by CU-Boulder faculty in areas ranging from biology to astrophysics.
Free parking is available in lot 436, east of the Engineering Center; lot 378, east of the Stadium Building; and lots 169 and 396, north of the stadium.
Anyone with a disability or special need should notify the physics office at (303) 492-6952 a few days prior to the show. The best wheelchair access to the Duane Physics building is through the east entrance.
The last installment in the 1999-2000 CU Wizards series is "Black Holes" with Professor Andrew Hamilton of the astrophysical and planetary sciences department. "Black Holes" will be presented on Saturday, June 17, at 9:30 a.m. in the Fiske Planetarium.
For more information about the CU Wizards series call (303) 492-4318.