IR Camera

An inexpensive web cam is modified to show infrared light (mostly). Objects that reflect a lot of infrared show us as white. Objects that absorb infrared are darker.

We show the infrared printing on common US currency.

Then we show how fluorescent lights are more efficient than old incandescent lights because they emit most of their light in the visible rather than wasting energy emitting infrared light (heat).

Some color patterns designed to please the eye show no difference in the infrared. And some things that are not visible by eye can be easily seen in the infrared (like veins in the arm).

Finally, a hot flame is shown illustrating the difference between the colors seen with the eye, and the light seen in the infrared. The hot part of the flame is much longer than the blue glow seen by the eye.

For more information on making your own infrared web cam, check out this excellent site:
http://www.ufos-aliens.co.uk/infraredwebcam.htm

Category:

Education

Tags:

• physics
• demos
• infrared