Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is an awesome STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) activity that blends creativity with physics!
Water has a higher index of refraction than air. That means when light passes from air into water, it slows down and bends, a phenomenon known as refraction. This bending of light changes the way we see objects, sometimes making them look distorted, shifted, or even invisible!
What You’ll Need:
Art supplies (paper, scissors, markers, crayons, or pencils)
Plastic zip bags
A bucket or clear container of water
What To Do:
Create some awesome artwork using your supplies — make it bold, colorful, and creative.
Place your art in a plastic zip bag, sealing it tightly to keep it dry.
Slowly dip the bag into a bucket or container of water.
Watch closely — parts of your artwork may disappear, appear magnified, or even flip around!
How It Works:
When light rays bend as they enter or leave water, they can change direction in surprising ways. Some parts of the light may no longer reach your eyes or may not even make it out of the bag at all, a phenomenon knows as total internal reflection. This can make it look like parts of your drawing have vanished. This is the same principle that makes a an object look bent, broken, or a different spot when placed in the water.
Check this out on our website: https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/2025/09/22/disappearing-art-arte-que-desaparece/
This is an awesome STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) activity that blends creativity with physics!
Water has a higher index of refraction than air. That means when light passes from air into water, it slows down and bends, a phenomenon known as refraction. This bending of light changes the way we see objects, sometimes making them look distorted, shifted, or even invisible!
What You’ll Need:
Art supplies (paper, scissors, markers, crayons, or pencils)
Plastic zip bags
A bucket or clear container of water
What To Do:
Create some awesome artwork using your supplies — make it bold, colorful, and creative.
Place your art in a plastic zip bag, sealing it tightly to keep it dry.
Slowly dip the bag into a bucket or container of water.
Watch closely — parts of your artwork may disappear, appear magnified, or even flip around!
How It Works:
When light rays bend as they enter or leave water, they can change direction in surprising ways. Some parts of the light may no longer reach your eyes or may not even make it out of the bag at all, a phenomenon knows as total internal reflection. This can make it look like parts of your drawing have vanished. This is the same principle that makes a an object look bent, broken, or a different spot when placed in the water.
Check this out on our website: https://www.lsop.colostate.edu/2025/09/22/disappearing-art-arte-que-desaparece/
