Optics and pool : play the game

Abstract

In this communication we will present an experimental work to be carried out by students, from even the early ages of basic school, in a non-formal environment. Using a pool table (a game well known to many students) students will perform a series of experiments learning and demonstrating the laws of light reflection. The idea of associating the use of a pool table to the teaching of geometric optics is based on the need to make the teaching process more appealing on behalf of the students. Being pool a popular and appealing game it would be possible to teach physics concepts in an apparently informal or non-formal context. This assembly is also simplified due to the fact that only day-to-day materials are used, reducing its final cost as we only need to perform a few reversible changes to a pool table.