• Question: why dose light ruin your experiment

    Asked by pinapple12 to Euan on 14 Jun 2016. This question was also asked by xXJamaican_QuickscoperXx.
    • Photo: Euan Allen

      Euan Allen answered on 14 Jun 2016:

      Hi pinapple12.

      That’s a very good question!

      In order for my experiments to work, I need to have very sensitive detectors that are able to measure very small amounts of light. If we allow sunlight into the room, or even turn on the lights, then two things can happen:
      1) Either the detectors can break because they are not made to withstand the bright light from the sun/a lightbulb
      2) I can’t measure the light from the experiment, because it is so dim compared with the other light in the room. This would mean that I couldn’t get a result as all I would be measuring is the light coming from the sun/lightbulb.

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