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Ready for an easy experiment with only two supplies (that you likely have right now!)? Let’s take a look at moiré patterns!
What is a moiré pattern?
A moiré pattern is a pattern you can see when you place an opaque pattern on a transparent background, then place that over another similar pattern.
In today’s experiment, we’re going to use a few supplies to create moiré patterns. It’s super simple to set up and you can go as far in depth with your child about the patterns as you’d like. You can simply observe what happens or go into physics, optics, and math, depending on where your child is academically.
Let’s get started!
How to make the Magical Moiré Patterns math and science experiment
Supplies you will need
For this experiment, you will need the following:
- 2 clear, plastic disposable dinner plates (these are great to have on hand for painting and holding supplies for experiments!)
- Black Sharpie or marker
- White or light-colored flat surface
If you don’t have clear, plastic dinner plates, you could always use 2 Ziploc bags.
Before you start
It’s fun to try several different patterns out to see what happens. Be sure to experiment!
Instructions
Here is how to do this experiment with your child:
Step 1: Use the marker to draw several parallel lines on one plate
On one of your clear plates, draw several lines parallel to one another, pretty close together.
Step 2: Draw several parallel lines on other plate, or mix it up
On the second plate, you can either draw something similar to what you drew in the first step, or you can mix it up and try some different patterns (like concentric circles, made to look like a target).
This is where you can experiment and see what produces patterns and what doesn’t!
Step 3: Place one plate on top of other plate and line up the drawings
Once you have your lines drawn on the two plates, place them on top of one another.
Step 4: Slowly move top plate to show Moiré patterns
We’re going to leave the bottom plate still and move the top plate slowly. You should observe your moiré pattern changing shape.
Try moving at different angles, moving it slower and faster, or even changing up your patterns completely to see what happens!
The math and science behind the Magical Moiré Patterns experiment
This experiment teaches:
- Art and creativity
- Scientific observation
- Fine motor skills
How it works
We can see moiré patterns when an opaque pattern with transparent gaps (or on a transparent background) is overlapped with a similar opaque pattern. When we offset or rotate one of the patterns, we see a change in the moiré pattern.
Moiré patterns are used in math and physics, but are also used in other real-world applications!
Moiré patterns are used in:
- TV: if an actor is wearing a particular print, like certain striped prints, the moiré pattern will come across to the viewer
- Marine navigation: used in shoreside beacons to designate the safest places to travel for ships
- Counterfeit money: moiré patterns can even be used to detect counterfeit money by using a particular pattern overlaid on the banknote to highlight discrepancies
Art and creativity
Making moiré patterns involves experimenting with different shapes, designs, and colors. This activity encourages children to explore their creativity and artistic abilities.
Math and scientific observation
Moiré patterns involve geometry and mathematical concepts, such as angles, shapes, and spatial relationships. Children can learn and apply these mathematical principles while designing their patterns.
As children create moiré patterns, they may observe how slight adjustments can lead to significant changes in the visual appearance. This encourages them to observe, hypothesize, and draw conclusions from their experiments.
Fine motor skills
Drawing, tracing, and carefully aligning patterns require fine motor skills. Creating moiré patterns can help young children improve their hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
More experiments about patterns to try out with your child
- Patterns with Stickers: An easy way to introduce patterns
- Patterns with Unifix Cubes: Build simple AND complex patterns with cubes
- Pumpkin Pattern Necklace: Identifying patterns with your toddler
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