Backpack Activity

Theme: Wave Phenomena

Title: Hologram

The National Science Center

One Seventh Street on Riverwalk
Augusta, Georgia 30901
1-800-325-5445
www.NationalScienceCenter.org
 Backpack Activity
Theme: Wave Phenomena

Topic: Holography

Title: Hologram

National Standards: Content Standard A. Ability necessary to do scientific inquiry and

observation. (A.1)

Physical Science Content Standard B. Light interacts with matter by transmission including
refraction, absorption or scattering including reflection.

Purpose: Backpack activities are designed for students to explore and play with science
toys. This activity sheet can be copied for students to use as a guide. Little or no supervision is
required. Exploring, observing and investigating with the Reflection Hologram will help the
student reinforce the concepts associated with photography, lasers, light and wave phenomena.

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 Backpack Activity
Title: Hologram

What Is It?
A hologram is a three dimensional photograph, usually made with light from a laser.

How Does It Work?

A hologram is a photographic record of the light waves coming from an object. Making a
hologram is not as simple as pressing a camera shutter button. The laser light is split into two
beams. One beam shines on the object directly, and is then reflected to the film. The other
beam shines right on the film.

When two light waves shine on the same spot, the light waves interfere. If the waves are of the
same color of light, the high spots and low spots in the waves either add together, or cancel
each other. This is called interference. When the waves add, a bright spot forms (constructive
interference). When they cancel, a dark spot appears (destructive interference).

With a hologram, the beam from the laser and the beam reflected from the object hit the same
spot--the film. The two beams interfere both constructively and destructively. The film records
the pattern of interference. It is not a picture of the object, but more a record of the pattern of
waves coming from the object.

When you view a hologram, light shines on the interference pattern and generates light waves
that exactly match the waves that were reflected from the object when the hologram was made.
It seems as if the object is right there in front of you--it is a true three-dimensional image.

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 Backpack Activity
Title: Hologram

What Can I Do With It?

Look at the hologram from sided to side. What do you see?

Since a hologram produces a three-dimensional image, you can see different parts of the
object. Compare the hologram with a regular photograph. You see only one aspect in the
regular photograph--no matter how much you move your head, you will not see any more of the
object in the photograph.

Where are holograms used?

Holograms are difficult to copy, so they are used on credit cards to prevent counterfeiter form
making fake cards. Commercially, holograms have been used on stamps, money, magazine
and book illustrations. A growing number of artists are experimenting with holographic images.
Holograms have been used to record the trails of subatomic particles and to make microscopic
records of biological cells.

Links: http://www.holo.com/holo/book/book1.html

The National Science Center