6F40.10 • Scattering: Sunset

Location: Cabinet 5

Photo of the Demonstration at the University of Texas at Austin.

Instructions / Notes:

• A light beam is projected from an overhead projector through a 4 liter beaker atop of a black piece of cardboard with a hole cut out of it.
• The beaker will contain water, and Clamp demo to the table with a large C-clamp.
• Briefly stir milk in the beaker, turn on the lamp, and wait four or five minutes.
• A sulfate precipate begins to cloud the tank causing the first scattering effect, which appears nearly sky-blue within the tank.
• The projected light seen on the opposite wall at this point changes from white to yellow.
• The next phase, which occurs very briefly, two scattering colors are noticed in the tank, while the light projected on the wall becomes orange.
• When the light projected on the wall appears to be red, the chemical reaction is complete.

Last updated on June 8, 2026