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Botany Science Fair Project

Flowers Under Ultraviolet Light

Easy
Flowers Under Ultraviolet Light | Science Fair Projects | STEM Projects
What do flowers look like under ultraviolet light? Human eyes only see a small slice of the light spectrum. Bees and other pollinators see patterns on petals that are invisible to us. You photograph several flower species under normal room light. Then you switch to a black light (ultraviolet lamp) in a darkened room and photograph the same flowers again. Compare the two sets of photos. Hidden stripes and color patterns often appear under UV light that you cannot see otherwise.

Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that flowers look different under ultraviolet light than they do under normal light.

Method & Materials

You will place the flowers in a place with a solid background, take a picture of them under normal light, then change the lighting by placing the black light into the light fixture and take a picture of the flowers under the black light.
You will need a black light (ultraviolet lamp), a freshly cut flower or a potted flowering plant, a camera or cell phone with a camera, printer, poster board, paper, and glue.

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Results

After taking pictures of the flowers under normal light and black light, you will be able to observe patterns and colors that were not visible under normal light.

Why do this project?

This science project is interesting and unique because it allows us to see the world from the perspective of an insect.

Also Consider

Variations of this experiment could include using different types of flowers or using different types of light sources.

Full project details

Additional information and source material for this project are available below.

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