Color I

Try it: Color around the kitchen

To see the colors produced by optical activity, you need only two linear-polarizing filters, some optically active material, and a light source. Colorless corn syrup contains right-handed sugar molecules and is ideal for this purpose. You can use it right in the bottle if the bottle is clear.

Tape one polarizing filter to a flashlight to make a beam of polarized light. It helps to block any extraneous light from the flashlight with opaque tape or aluminum foil. In a dark room, shine the (polarized)light through the corn syrup bottle and onto a piece of white paper, which will serve as a screen. Now use your other polarizing filter as an analyzer, between the bottle and the screen.

Notice the color of the light on the screen as you rotate the analyzer.

Try the experiment with the light passing through different thickness of corn syrup, say by tipping the bottle.

Also try using turpentine.