Stealthy Shapes

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective is to determine which 3-D geometric shape (cylinder, crumpled cylinder, W, or V), reflects the least light and hence is the stealthiest, and test the effect of different colored paper (white, green and gold), for each shape on the reflectivity of light and stealthiness. Methods/Materials I used a flashlight, a lux meter, and white, green, and gold paper to determine how much light is reflected back by each shape and how stealthy it is. First, I made 4 shapes (cylinder, crumpled cylinder, W and V) out of all of the different colors of paper. Then I put them in the box at three different distances and turned on the flashlight for each different shape, color, and distance and recorded the data found from the lux meter and analyzed it. Results In all the distances and colors of paper that I tested, the cylinder and the white paper reflected the most light and therefore was the least stealthy, and the V-shape and the green paper reflected the least light and therefore was the stealthiest. Conclusions/Discussion My conclusion is that the cylinder and the white colored paper was least stealthy, and the V-shape and the green colored paper was most stealthy. This occurred because the V-shape scattered the light behind itself and away from the lux meter, and therefore reflected the least amount of light and was most stealthy. Also, the green color paper absorbed the most light, reflected the least light and was the stealthiest.

Competition history

• CSEF 2014 Physics & Astronomy · Entry J1818

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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