Make a pinhole camera, as illustrated. Cut out one endof a

Chapter 11, Problem 36

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Make a pinhole camera, as illustrated. Cut out one endof a small cardboard box, and cover the end with tissue orwax paper. Make a clean-cut pinhole at the other end. (If thecardboard is thick, make it through a piece of aluminum foilplaced over an opening in the cardboard.) Aim the cameraat a bright object in a darkened room, and you see an upsidedownimage on the tissue paper. When photographic film wasin vogue, students replaced the tissue paper with unexposedphotographic film, covering the back so it was light tight, andcovering the pinhole with a removable flap, all ready to takea picture. Exposure times differed, depending principally onthe kind of film and the amount of light. Lenses on todayscommercial cameras are much bigger than pinholes andtherefore admit more light in less timehence the termsnapshot. For now it will be enough to view images on thetissue or wax paper. Point your camera toward the Sun. Andif you do so during a solar eclipse, youll marvel at the clearcrescents on your viewing screen.